Canadiens at Devils
The Montreal Canadiens are rested and red-hot as they prepare to make the fourth stop on a five-game road trip against the skidding New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Montreal has won four in a row and seven of eight to close within two points of first-place Tampa Bay - with two games in hand - in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have permitted a total of 10 goals over the past eight games, including one apiece during the current winning streak.
New Jersey is trending in the opposite direction, falling for the ninth time in 11 games (2-6-3) in Wednesday's 3-1 setback at Detroit. The punchless Devils were limited to two goals or fewer for the 11th time in 13 contests and are 1-2-0 since team president Lou Lamoriello fired Peter DeBoer and took over his duties along with co-coaches Scott Stevens and Adam Oates. The Canadiens have won six of their last eight trips to New Jersey.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RDS (Montreal), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (24-11-2): PA Parenteau's statistics - six goals and 15 points in 37 games - may not jump off the page but the veteran forward is paying big dividends in his first season with Montreal. Acquired from Colorado in exchange for Danny Briere, Parenteau scored the decisive goal in Tuesday's shootout victory at Florida, giving him four game-winners in the bonus format this season. "I think that's my fourth (winner), but who's counting?" Parenteau said. "This year things are going pretty well for me when it's time to close it. I'll take it."
ABOUT THE DEVILS (13-19-7): Lamoriello feared forward Steve Bernier had sustained a "serious" injury when he had to be helped off the ice in the waning stages of Wednesday's game, but X-rays on his leg and hip came back negative. "I was concerned, without question. I think all of us were," Lamoriello said. "What happened was he lost feeling. The diagnosis was he hit a nerve, but he's going to be OK." New Jersey managed only 13 shots on net in Wednesday's game but one was memorable as Joe Whitney scored the lone goal on his first NHL shot.
OVERTIME
1. Montreal is 14-0-0 when scoring first.
2. The Devils have killed off 19-of-20 opposing power plays in the past six games.
3. Canadiens G Carey Price has won three straight starts and six of seven, but he's 8-10-1 lifetime versus New Jersey.