Preview And Lines: Canadiens Change Lines Prior To Sens Game

The Montreal Canadiens are set to face the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.

Head coach Martin St-Louis changed the lines in the third period of Thursday’s loss to the Boston Bruins, with Juraj Slafkovsky dropping to the second line for a brief moment. He has reverted to his usual first line on Saturday, though it must be said Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki are yet to produce a game in which they controlled the majority of the shots and scoring chances. It must also be said that we’re only two games into the 2024-25 season, making it much too early to panic about production.

The second line of Kirby Dach, Joel Armia, and Alex Newhook will also remain intact, but the bottom six has seen a few changes. The most notable difference is that Alex Barre-Boulet will watch the game from the press box, alongside Michael Pezzetta, and defenceman Jayden Struble.

Jake Evans will anchor the third line, with Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher serving as his wingers. All three players have started the season on the right foot, a pleasant change when it comes to Montreal Canadiens veterans. As for the fourth line, Oliver Kapanen and Emil Heineman are set to play with centre Christian Dvorak.

Samuel Montembeault set an NHL record by making 48-saves on his way to a season-opening shutout versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, and will look to maintain his momentum as the Canadiens host the Senators.

On Topic: Canadiens Instant Recap: Lane Hutson Shines In Defeat To Bruins

The Senators opened their season with an impressive 3-1 win over the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Florida held a slight edge in shots, but newcomer Linus Ullmark made 30 saves to secure the win. It’s a sign that the team’s goaltending woes may finally be over. Rather than signing a stable of mediocre goaltenders to somewhat rich contracts, Ottawa now has one legitimate, designated starter, a much healthier situation for all concerned.

The two teams met in the preseason, though you’d be hard-pressed to argue it was a useful hockey game. The Senators set the tone when super pest Ridly Greig hit Kirby Dach high and late, which eventually led to a parade to the penalty box for both teams, not to mention a few injuries for the Senators.

Now that the preseason is over, expect the two teams to have a more serious approach to Saturday’s game, but seeing as there’s always bad blood between these two teams, another violent game could be in the cards.

Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup Cole CaufieldNick SuzukiJuraj Slafkovsky Alex NewhookKirby DachJoel Armia Josh AndersonJake EvansBrendan Gallagher Emil Heineman Christian DvorakOliver Kapanen Mike MathesonKaiden Guhle Lane HutsonDavid Savard Arber XhekajJustin Barron Samuel Montembeault Cayden Primeau Ottawa Senators Projected Lineup

Tkachuk – Stutzle – Giroux

Greig – Norris – Batherson

Perron – Pinto – Amadio

Gregor – Audette- Cousins

Sanderson – Zub

Chabot – Jensen

Kleven – Hamonic

Ullmark

How to Watch The Montreal Canadiens vs. The Ottawa Senators on October 12, 2024

Game 3 of the regular season will be aired on City TV, SNE, SN1, TVA Sports. Once the game is over, an instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Montreal Hockey Now.