Blues at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have fended off all comers in breezing to the best start in franchise history, but they will face a serious challenge to their perfect record when the St. Louis Blues pay a visit to the Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Montreal is the league's only unbeaten team and has surrendered a total of only seven goals during its scorching 6-0-0 start.
The Canadiens showed they would be a force by opening the season with four straight road victories, but the Blues have also displayed their mettle away from home. St. Louis has won four in a row entering the finale of a six-game road trip and have scored four goals in each of the victories during the winning streak. "We've grown closer, we've spent a lot of time together and I think our game is coming along each and every day," Blues captain David Backes said. "But we know we're up against a heck of an opponent and need a great game to win it." The high-profile matchup will also feature the NHL's First and Third Stars of the Week in Montreal netminder Carey Price and St. Louis forward Vladimir Tarasenko.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), RDS Montreal
ABOUT THE BLUES (5-1-0): Tarasenko has collected at least a point in every game and earned his weekly honor from the league after recording three goals and three assists in four games, including a pair of tallies in Sunday's 4-2 victory at Winnipeg. "Go look at his goals that he's scored this year," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "There's probably somebody who's got more, I don't know. I haven't looked at the scoring yet. But there's nobody that gets them that are as important as him. And he's doing it again." Jake Allen is expected to start in net despite an 0-2-0 record and 4.51 goals-against average versus Montreal.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (6-0-0): Price won both the Hart and the Vezina Trophy last season and is showing a repeat is possible after garnering First Star honors by winning all three starts last week while permitting a combined three goals. "It's just having the right mindset on keeping your focus towards what's ahead and not what's behind you," Price told the team's official website. "It's the approach I've always taken and I think the guys in here are taking the same approach." Price has had his struggles against the Blues in the past but won both starts against them last season while permitting a combined three goals.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis' 4-1 defeat at Montreal last November was its lone regulation loss in its last 14 games (11-1-2) in Canadian cities.
2. The Canadiens have killed off 14 straight penalties over the past four contests.
3. Blues D Kevin Shattenkirk (lower body) will miss his fourth straight game.