Canadiens Game 73: Tank Battle, Harris Could Return To Play

The Montreal Canadiens (28-38-6) face the Columbus Blue Jackets (23-41-7) at the Bell Centre Saturday night. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET.

Columbus represents the last time Montreal will face a team that is currently below them in the standings, which also means it’s one of the few remaining times this season the Canadiens will have healthy odds of emerging with a win.

But despite having the second-fewest points in the NHL, the Blue Jackets have been on a tear lately.

Well, relatively speaking, anyhow.

They’ve won their last two games, both of which required overtime.

It may not sound like much, but for a team that only has 23 wins in 71 games, consecutive wins are few and far between.

Patrick Laine currently leads all Blue Jackets in scoring, with six points in his last five games. All but one of his points have come in the form of assists. With three goals in the same span, including the game-winning goal Friday night against the New York Islanders, Boone Jenner is the player to watch in the defensive zone.

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As for the Canadiens, captain Nick Suzuki leads the way offensively, having registered a point six times in the last five outings, whereas Mike Matheson continues to produce from the backend, with two goals in the last five games.

The good news for Matheson is that he’ll be able to count on offensive support from Kirby Dach, who has been a dominant presence since recovering from a lower-body injury that somehow started as an upper-body injury.

Dach has scored two goals and added an assist in the two games he’s played in March.

Mike Matheson put the puck in the perfect spot and Kirby Dach makes it a 3-2 game! pic.twitter.com/DNs53GyOAr

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) March 24, 2023

Defenceman Jordan Harris was spotted practicing alongside fellow rookie Johnathan Kovacevic, and so we should not be surprised if the talented blueliner plays his first game since Mar.7.

Samuel Montembeault is expected to receive the start for the Canadiens.

Montreal Canadiens Injuries

• Kaiden Guhle (Injured)
• Josh Anderson (Injured)
• Joel Armia (Day-To-Day)
• Christian Dvorak (Injured Reserve)
• Jake Evans (Injured Reserve)
• Arber Xhekaj (Injured Reserve)
• Juraj Slafkovsky (Injured Reserve)
• Cole Caufield (Injured Reserve)
• Sean Monahan (LTIR)
• Carey Price (LTIR)
• Paul Byron (LTIR)

Columbus Blue Jackets Injuries

• Jake Bean (Injured Reserve)
• Justin Danforth (Injured Reserve)

Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup

Columbus Blue Jackets Injuries

Gaudreau – Jenner – Marchenko

Foudy – Roslovic – Johnson

Robinson – Kuraly – Olivier

Pederson – McKown – Bemstrom

Defence:

Boqvist – Gudbranson

Berni – Peeke

Bayreuther – Blankenburg

Goalies:

Merzlikins

Hutchinson

Special Teams

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