Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes and Viewing Info

Basio badr

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Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes and Viewing Info

The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, marking their first meeting of the season. This matchup is part of a three-game series, with the Penguins having won all encounters last year, outscoring the Canadiens 18-6.

Recent Performance and Lineup Changes

The Penguins are coming off a disappointing loss to the Anaheim Ducks, where they allowed a shorthanded goal with just 0.1 seconds remaining in regulation. This loss came after the Penguins led late in the third period, highlighting their recent struggles to secure victories.

For Thursday’s game, the Penguins will maintain a similar lineup, with Tristan Jarry starting as goalie, replacing Arturs Silovs. The expected forward lines are:

Novak-Crosby-Rust
Mantha-Hayes-Brazeau
McGroarty-Kindel-Koivunen
Dewar-Heinen-Acciari

The defensive pairings are:

Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Shea-Letang
Graves-Clifton

Montreal Canadiens’ Current Standing

The Canadiens enter this contest with a record of 15-11-3, placing them fourth in the Atlantic Division. They are on a two-game losing streak and have recorded a 5-5 record in their last ten games.

Notable Players

Rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler will make his NHL debut for the Canadiens. He has had a solid start in the AHL, with a 10-5 record, a goals-against average of 2.09, and a save percentage of .919.

Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens in scoring with 33 points, while Cole Caufield has netted 16 goals. Caufield is also vying for a spot on the Team USA Olympic roster. Rookie Ivan Demidov has been impressive as well, scoring six goals and tallying 23 points in 29 games, making him a strong candidate for the Calder Trophy. Additionally, defenseman Lane Hutson has contributed significantly with five goals and 22 points in the same number of games.