Canadiens at Lightning
The Montreal Canadiens sealed a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and look to continue securing an Atlantic Division title when they visit the surging Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. The Canadiens won three straight contests, allowing four goals combined, and lead Ottawa by six points atop the division while playing one more game than the Senators.
“It’s nice to get that first goal accomplished and know we’re in the dance,” Montreal goalie Carey Price told reporters. “We’ve got to keep moving forward. Obviously, we’re not satisfied yet.” The Canadiens will play a big part in whether Tampa Bay reaches the playoffs with two games against the division rival in the final eight days of the regular season - including a matchup at the Bell Centre on April 7. The Lightning, ravaged by injuries all season, won four straight games to sit three points out of the second wild card after knocking off Detroit 5-3 on Thursday without leading scorer Nikita Kucherov (illness). “They’re just doing all the little things you have to do to win hockey games,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters. “They’re playing as a team and, especially with some of the fire power we have out of the lineup, guys are taking it as a challenge.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVAS, CITY (Montreal), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (44-24-9): Montreal is 13-5-1 since Claude Julien replaced Michel Therrien as coach and it’s beginning to get production from more players as the postseason approaches. Captain Max Pacioretty leads the way with 64 points, including four (two goals) in the last three games, and Alexander Radulov posted three in the past two contests to push his total to 51. Brendan Gallagher is starting to find his scoring touch with two goals and three assists in the last two contests while Tomas Plekanec had two points in the 6-2 victory over Florida on Thursday after recording the same amount in the previous 22.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (38-29-9): Tampa Bay had Friday off, but hopes to have Kucherov (38 goals, 80 points) in the lineup for both games this weekend - including Sunday’s matchup with Dallas. Captain Steven Stamkos, out 4½ months after knee surgery, and fellow center Tyler Johnson (lower-body) are also close to returning to help a make-shift lineup that produced 18 goals in the last four games. Victor Hedman boasts 66 points, passing Roman Hamrlik (65) for the most by a Tampa Bay defenseman in a season, while Jonathan Drouin owns four goals in the last four games and shares the team lead in game-winners (six) with Kucherov.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay LW Ondrej Palat is enjoying a six-game point streak (two goals, eight assists).
2. Montreal D Shea Weber, who is third on the team with 42 points, had a plus-11 rating in March after posting a minus-10 in February.
3. The Lightning snapped a five-game losing streak against the Canadiens with a 4-3 overtime victory on Dec. 28 at home.