HabsWorld.net --
After an up-and-down preseason, the Habs kick off their regular season tonight as they travel to Toronto to take on the division rival Maple Leafs. Here are tonight’s game notes.
This is the seventh straight season that Montreal has opened up regular season play vs Toronto. Last year, the Habs won a back-and-forth opener that saw them blow the lead and then get it back in the final three minutes of regulation play. Tomas Plekanec (2), Max Pacioretty, and P.K. Subban scored for the Canadiens in a 4-3 victory.
On Tuesday, both teams were active on the waiver wire. Montreal picked up W/C Paul Byron from Calgary while the Leafs added blueliner Frank Corrado from Vancouver. Both are available for tonight’s game but neither are expected to play.
Projected Montreal Lines:
Max Pacioretty – Tomas Plekanec – Brendan Gallagher
Lars Eller – Alex Galchenyuk – Alexander Semin
Tomas Fleischmann – David Desharnais – Dale Weise
Brian Flynn – Torrey Mitchell – Devante Smith-Pelly
Andrei Markov – P.K. Subban
Alexei Emelin – Jeff Petry
Nathan Beaulieu – Tom Gilbert
Carey Price
Scratches: Paul Byron, Greg Pateryn, Jarred Tinordi
Projected Toronto Lines:
James van Riemsdyk – Nazem Kadri – Brad Boyes
Shawn Matthias – Tyler Bozak – Joffrey Lupul
Daniel Winnik – Nick Spaling – P-A Parenteau
Leo Komarov – Peter Holland – Mark Arcobello
Matt Hunwick – Dion Phaneuf
Jake Gardiner – Scott Harrington*
Martin Marincin – Morgan Reilly
Jonathan Bernier
Scratches: Frank Corrado, Michael Grabner, Roman Polak
* Harrington was sent down to the AHL on Tuesday after the Leafs claimed Corrado; however, he is supposed to be recalled once Richard Panik is moved off the roster after the noon EST waiver deadline on Wednesday.
Other Notes:
– The Habs have had some success against Toronto as of late, winning six straight.
– Jonathan Bernier has struggled against his hometown team in his career. He has won just one of nine starts against the Habs, posting a 3.07 GAA in those games.
Puck drop is at 7:00 PM EST. Sportsnet and TVA Sports will be televising the game.