Game 52: Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres Lines, Preview

The Montreal Canadiens (11-33-7, 29 pts) will try to extend their win streak to four games when they host the Buffalo Sabres (16-27-8, 40 pts) at the Bell Centre Wednesday (7:30 PM ET, SN1, SNE, RDS, MSG-B) before heading out on a five-game road trip.

This is the second time that the two teams have met in the last two weeks and the second since Montreal Canadiens interim head coach Martin St. Louis was hired back on Feb. 9. The Sabres beat the Canadiens 5-3 at the Bell Centre back on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 13). The Sabres also beat the Habs 5-1 on October 14 in Buffalo and 4-1 back on November 26. Tonight will be the final meeting between the two clubs this season.

Samuel Montembeault is slated to start for the Montreal Canadiens after posting an impressive 35-save performance against the Toronto Maples Leafs on Monday. The young goaltender is 4-10-4, with a 3.71 GAA and a 0.898 save percentage.

Craig Anderson is slated to start for the Sabres. The veteran netminder is 6-5-0 this season with a 2.91 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

Montreal Canadiens Notes

Cole Caufield is on quite the hot streak, posting five goals and three assists over his last six games.

Jeff Petry is also seeing a surge in offensive production, as he comes into this game with two goals and three assists in his last four games.

Buffalo Sabres Notes

Jeff Skinner had one heck of a game in the last tilt between the Canadiens and the Sabres, posting four goals and an assist in a 5-3 win on Feb 13th. Will he be a difference-maker again tonight?

Tage Thompson is the hottest Buffalo Sabre at the moment, with an impressive six goals and four assists in his last eight games.

Montreal Canadiens Lines:

Forwards

Cole Caufield-Nick Suzuki-Josh Anderson

Mike Hoffman – Laurent Dauphin – Brendan Gallagher

Rem Pitlick – Jake Evans- Paul Byron

Michael Pezzetta – Ryan Poehling – Artturi Lehkonen

Defense:

Alexander Romanov – Ben Chiarot

Brett Kulak-Jeff Petry

Kale Clague-Chris Wideman

Goalies:

Sam Montembeault

Andrew Hammond

Buffalo Sabres Lines:

Forwards

Jeff Skinner-Tage Thompson-Alex Tuch

Peyton Krebbs-Dylan Cozens-Casey Mittelstadt

Rasmus Asplund-Mark Jankowski-Kyle Okposo

Anders Bjork-Cody Eakin-John Hayden

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin-Henri Jokiharju

Mattias Samuelsson-Casey Fitzgerald

Jacob Bryson-Mark Pysk

Goalies

Dustin Tokarski

Craig Anderson