Maple Leafs at Canadiens
The Toronto Maple Leafs seek their elusive first road win of 2015 when they visit the Atlantic Division-rival Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Toronto has not recorded a victory away from home since edging Boston in a shootout on Dec. 31, going 0-11-1 while scoring fewer than two goals in nine of those contests. The latest road setback occurred on Thursday, when Richard Panik netted a tally and set up another in the first 4:09 of the second period to erase a two-goal deficit before the Maple Leafs went on to drop a 3-2 decision to the New York Islanders.
Montreal is concluding a three-game homestand during which it went 1-0-1 in the first two contests, with both needing overtime. Two days after posting a 2-1 triumph over Philadelphia, the Canadiens allowed the tying goal with 25 seconds remaining in the third period and the winner at 1:47 of the extra session for a 4-3 loss to Edmonton on Thursday. Montreal recorded its third straight win over its Original Six rival on Oct. 8, when Tomas Plekanec scored his second goal of the game with 43 seconds left in the third period for a 4-3 triumph in Toronto.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHLN, CBC, TVA
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (23-29-4): Toronto's struggles have not been limited to the road, as the club has won only one of its last 14 overall games (1-12-1) and two of 18 since the beginning of the calendar year (2-15-1). Panik's multi-point performance Thursday was his second of the season, as he also registered a goal and an assist on Nov. 6 at Colorado. The 24-year-old Slovakian, who was claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay in October, has notched 11 points this season - two shy of his career high set last campaign with the Lightning.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (35-15-4): Montreal received a glimpse of its future Thursday in the forms of Christian Thomas and Jacob De La Rose. The 22-year-old Thomas scored his first goal in 15 career games while De La Rose, 19, notched his first point in five NHL contests with an assist. "I've played a handful of games now and it's good to get it," Thomas said of his first tally. "It was definitely one of the best moments of my hockey career."
OVERTIME
1. Canadiens C Alex Galchenyuk celebrated his 21st birthday on Thursday by raising his career-best goal total to 16.
2. Toronto has been outscored 14-1 in the first period and netted a total of 13 goals during its 12-game road slide, which is a single-season franchise record.
3. Montreal G Carey Price is 8-1-0 with a 1.31 goals-against average in his last nine decisions.