Canadiens at Jets
Captain Brian Gionta returns to the ice to play his 700th career contest on Tuesday when the Montreal Canadiens wrap up their four-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets. Gionta bravely competed in Montreal's 3-2 loss to Calgary on Wednesday and 4-1 victory over Edmonton the following night before returning home to tend to his ailing son. The 34-year-old missed the Canadiens' 4-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday, but Gionta's ready to rejoin the team with his son in better spirits.
"We gave him the option to stay home given the circumstances, but he wanted to come be here with his teammates," coach Michel Therrien said. "That's a great display of leadership." Evander Kane continues to lead by example after scoring twice following his promotion to the top line as Winnipeg snapped a three-game losing skid with Sunday's 3-0 triumph over the reeling New Jersey Devils. "I take it upon myself to be one of the leaders in this room and on the ice," Kane said.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, RDS (Montreal), TSN (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (3-2-0): While the prevailing talk centered around a bizarre own goal by the Canucks, Carey Price put forth a stellar effort with 39 saves in his home province. A likely Team Canada netminder for the upcoming Olympics, Price yielded just five goals in his last three games - and was in net for two of the three contests last season in a series sweep versus Winnipeg. Lars Eller, who was credited with the own goal despite being on the bench, has a team-leading five tallies and shares the point lead of seven with Alex Galchenyuk and reigning Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban.
ABOUT THE JETS (3-3-0): Coach Claude Noel has taken to shuffling up his lines - with captain Andrew Ladd being dropped to the second in favor of Kane. Ladd didn't sulk with the turn of events as his third goal of the season capped the scoring on Sunday. Rookie defenseman Jacob Trouba, 19, logged a season-high 26:36 of ice time - including over five minutes on the penalty kill.
OVERTIME
1. The Canadiens have won five straight and eight of nine against the current Jets' franchise.
2. After this tilt, Montreal begins a five-game homestand against Columbus on Thursday.
3. Winnipeg, which is playing its fourth contest in six nights, is 1-2-0 on its six-game homestand.