Maple Leafs at Canadiens
The Toronto Maple Leafs attempt to extend their point streak to four games when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Toronto won its last two contests before the Olympic break but let a late lead slip away against the New York Islanders on Thursday and dropped a 5-4 decision in overtime. Phil Kessel recorded a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who have earned at least one point in 13 of their last 15 contests (11-2-2).
Montreal is riding a five-game point streak of its own, going 4-0-1 during the run. After winning four straight prior to the break, the Canadiens forged a tie against Pittsburgh on Thursday on Daniel Briere's second goal of the contest with 5:54 remaining before falling in a shootout. Toronto won two of the first three meetings with its Atlantic Division rival, including a 4-3 triumph at Montreal on Oct. 1.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (32-22-7): Kessel picked up right where he left off before the break, recording his third straight two-point performance on Thursday. The 26-year-old has registered at least two points in five of his last six contests and 12 of 16. Toronto currently sits in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and is just two points behind Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (33-21-7): Carey Price will miss his third straight game with a lower-body injury he aggravated while guiding Team Canada to the gold medal at the Winter Olympics. Peter Budaj will make his third consecutive start after allowing five goals in the shootout win over Pittsburgh. After committing a turnover that led to a goal in the third period against the Penguins on Thursday, defenseman P.J. Subban saw only power-play time the rest of the session before spending the entire overtime on the bench.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto ranks seventh in the league in goals (182) but is 26th in goals against (187).
2. Montreal C Ryan White missed Thursday's game with the flu and is questionable to face Toronto.
3. The Maple Leafs assigned RW Carter Ashton to Toronto of the American Hockey League. The 22-year-old notched three assists in 30 games with the parent club.