Canadiens at Blue Jackets
The struggling Montreal Canadiens will try to take advantage of the bottom team in the Eastern Conference when they visit Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday in the opener of a home-and-home series. The Canadiens, who sit on the outside of the playoff picture despite a 9-0-0 start to the season, snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-2 shootout victory at Toronto on Saturday.
Montreal may have to wait another month before reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price (leg) returns and must find a way to stay afloat in the postseason race with four points in the final two games before the All-Star break. Defenseman P.K. Subban has been leading the way for the Canadiens of late with six points in seven games, and he will attempt to attack a Columbus team that is without its top two goaltenders. The Blue Jackets have dropped three straight contests (0-2-1) after suffering 3-2 shootout loss at Boston on Saturday. Columbus coach John Tortorella, who suffered two broken ribs in a collision at practice Friday, is not expected to be behind the bench after missing the game in Boston.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet East, RDS (Montreal), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (24-20-4): Montreal must get its power play going after converting just three times in 34 chances over its last nine games. Captain Max Pacioretty leads the team in goals (19) and points (36), but the Canadiens need much more from Alex Galchenyuk, who has a minus-7 rating with no points in his last seven contests. Paul Byron (lower body) is expected to miss two-to-three weeks while defenseman Tom Gilbert (lower body) has begun to practice after missing a month.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (17-27-5): Kerby Rychel, who reportedly asked for a trade earlier this season, has made an impact since being recalled from the minors earlier this month. The 2013 first-round draft pick has recorded two goals and four assists while posting a plus-3 rating over his last seven contests. Scott Hartnell and Brandon Saad lead a balanced offense with 32 points apiece while Brandon Dubinsky has stepped up his production level of late with three goals in his last five games.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus D Seth Jones has notched five assists in eight games since being acquired from Nashville and received a season-high 27:16 of ice time Saturday.
2. The Canadiens have won their last four meetings with Columbus, including a 2-1 home triumph on Dec. 1.
3. Blue Jackets G Joonas Korpisalo has turned aside 44-of-48 shots in a little more than 90 minutes over the last two games since replacing the injured Sergei Bobrovsky (groin).