Canadiens at Senators
The Montreal Canadiens hope their power play continues to surge when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. Montreal had gone 1-for-21 with the man advantage over its previous seven contests and failed on its first four opportunities Wednesday before converting three straight chances in the third period en route to a 3-2 victory at Columbus. Max Pacioretty and defenseman P.K. Subban combined for the three power-play goals, scoring them in a 3:53 span to erase a 2-0 deficit as the Canadiens extended their road winning streak to six games.
Ottawa is coming off its fourth loss in five contests, a 5-4 setback at Dallas on Tuesday that concluded a 1-2-1 road trip. Mike Hoffman tallied for the seventh time in 11 games to pull even with Nashville's Filip Forsberg for the league lead among rookies with 15 goals. Montreal has won four straight meetings with Ottawa, including a 4-1 home triumph on Dec. 20 in which Alex Galchenyuk recorded a tally and an assist.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RDS, TSN5 (Montreal), RSN East (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (27-12-3): Pacioretty continued to make those who omitted him from the All-Star roster look foolish Wednesday as he extended his goal-scoring streak to five games and reached the 20-tally plateau for the third time in as many full seasons. The 26-year-old native of Connecticut doubled his power-play goal output for the season to tie Subban for the team lead and increase his club-high point total to 35. Right wing PA Parenteau returned to the lineup against the Blue Jackets after missing the previous three games with a concussion.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (17-17-8): Ottawa would like to believe Milan Michalek finally is heating up. The 30-year-old left wing has tallied in each of his last two contests after scoring only three goals in his first 36 games of the season. Michalek eclipsed the 20-goal mark five times in six campaigns from 2006-12 before netting four in the abbreviated 2012-13 season and 17 over 82 contests in 2013-14.
OVERTIME
1. The Canadiens have not won seven straight road games since capturing eight in a row from Jan. 21-Feb. 21, 1982.
2. Ottawa has four players with double-digit goal totals and two others who are one tally away.
3. Montreal All-Star G Carey Price has allowed fewer than three goals in 11 of his last 12 starts.