Canadiens at Islanders
The Montreal Canadiens are making a habit of getting out of the blocks in a hurry, highlighted by their franchise-best nine-game winning streak to start the 2015-16 campaign. This season's Canadiens are nearly as hot as they vie for their fifth consecutive victory on Wednesday when they visit the New York Islanders.
Signed to a one-year deal worth $5.75 million in the offseason, veteran forward Alexander Radulov matched a career high with three points (empty-net goal, two assists) in Monday's 3-1 victory over Philadelphia. Fellow former Nashville star Shea Weber has at least one point in five of his first six games with the Canadiens, who have outscored the Islanders 23-12 en route to winning each of the last six encounters over a two-season span. New York has won two in a row and three of four heading into the finale of its five-game homestand. Captain John Tavares collected two goals and an assist in a 6-3 victory over Minnesota on Sunday and had one of each over his last two meetings with Montreal.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, SN1, RDS (Montreal), MSG-Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (5-0-1): Brendan Gallagher missed 29 games due to a finger injury last season, but sure is making up for lost time to start this campaign with a team-leading four goals. The 24-year-old has scored in back-to-back contests and is riding a three-game point streak into his tilt with the Islanders, against whom he has recorded nine points (five goals, four assists) in 11 career encounters. Goaltender Al Montoya (NHL second-best 1.30 goals-against average) is looking to build off his 36-save performance in a 4-0 win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 18 when he faces his former team, versus which he is 3-0-0 in his career.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (3-3-0): New York is receiving plenty of offense from its defense, with Johnny Boychuk scoring in back-to-back games and fellow blue-liners Calvin de Haan and Thomas Hickey finding the net versus the Wild. The Islanders, who have seen five of their top six defensemen score a goal, have collected 12 points (six goals, six assists) from their blue-liners this season. Travis Hamonic, who has yet to score a goal, is having as much fun this season with a minus-7 rating.
OVERTIME
1. New York rookie LW Anthony Beauvillier, who is from Quebec, notched two assists versus Minnesota and has five points (one goal, four assists) in five NHL games.
2. Weber's plus-10 rating is tops in the NHL and his 26-plus minutes of ice time is in the top 10 of the league heading into Tuesday's action.
3. The Islanders are just 1-for-15 on the power play, but they have thwarted 21-of-22 short-handed situations this season.