Maple Leafs at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are the only team that has yet to lose in regulation, but they still cannot match last season's record-setting starts. Montreal, which kicked off the 2015-16 campaign with a nine-game winning streak, goes for its seventh consecutive victory when it hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Montreal improved to a perfect 4-0-0 at home by rallying for three third-period goals in a 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday - its third win in four nights. “When we have everyone rolling like this and we have everyone in the game and making a difference, it makes it easier to play back-to-back and a lot of games at once," Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty told reporters. Toronto halted a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over Florida, receiving a much-needed solid performance in goal from Frederik Andersen. The Maple Leafs have lost all four of their road games, with each coming by one goal and three going beyond regulation.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC (Toronto), CITY, TVA (Montreal)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (2-2-3): While No. 1 overall draft pick Auston Matthews has lived up to the early hype, leading Toronto in goals with six and points with 10, another rookie stole the spotlight in the win over Florida. Center Mitchell Marner, the Maple Leafs' fourth overall selection in the 2015 draft, set up all three goals while drawing praise from his teammates. “He already has that ability to know where guys are without necessarily seeing them,” forward James van Riemsdyk told reporters.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (7-0-1): Montreal unraveled after Carey Price suffered a season-ending knee injury in November, but he looks to be back in form after recovering from the flu, allowing six goals in four starts. The blockbuster offseason trade the sent P.K. Subban to Nashville for fellow defenseman Shea Weber also has paid off, as Weber leads the team in points with nine and has posted a plus-12 rating. The Canadiens are permitting a league-low 1.5 goals per game and rank fourth on the penalty kill (90.3 percent).
OVERTIME
1. The Canadiens have won 10 straight overall and six in a row at home against Toronto.
2. The Maple Leafs are 5-for-13 on the power play over their last five games.
3. Montreal is the first team in history to win seven of its first eight contests in three consecutive seasons.