Jets at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens host the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday in the beginning of a new era, and a return to a former one as Claude Julien is back behind the team’s bench. Montreal fired Michel Therrien on Tuesday and hired Julien, who was out of work for one week after being fired by Boston and coached the Canadiens from 2003-06.
“I am convinced that he has the capabilities to get our team back on the winning track,” Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin said in a statement regarding Julien, who led Boston to the 2011 Stanley Cup. Montreal is 1-5-1 in February, the worst record in the NHL, and entered the weekend holding a four-point lead over Ottawa for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Jets dropped five of the past six after Thursday’s overtime loss at Pittsburgh, and sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. “I think we played well and maybe deserved to win,” Winnipeg forward Patrik Laine told reporters after the Jets were stopped 44 times by Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, TVA Sports (Montreal), Sportsnet, CBC
ABOUT THE JETS (26-29-5): Laine is heating up again as the 18-year-old scored a goal Thursday after recording a hat trick in Tuesday’s victory over Dallas, and Laine and center Mark Scheifele each have seven points in seven games this month. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves Thursday, but Winnipeg has allowed at least three goals in 16 of its past 17 games, giving up four or more nine times. The Jets rank ninth in the NHL in goals scored entering the weekend.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (31-19-8): Montreal stumbled since starting the season 13-1-1, and scored only one power-play goal in its last 20 opportunities dating back to Jan. 31. Center Max Pacioretty has three goals and three assists in his past three games, and leads the Canadiens in goals (28) and points (50). Goaltender Carey Price surrendered four goals in three consecutive games, and his save percentage is .879 in five February appearances.
OVERTIME
1. Montreal beat Winnipeg 7-4 on Jan. 11 in Winnipeg, getting two goals apiece from Artturi Lehkonen and Phillip Danault.
2. The Jets fired a season-high 47 shots on goal Thursday.
3. Julien, who coached 997 career games in the NHL, went 72-62-10-15 in his first stint as Montreal’s coach.