Music: {allcanada} CANADIENS (21-11-2) at ISLANDERS (23-10-0)

Monday, December 22, 2014

{allcanada} CANADIENS (21-11-2) at ISLANDERS (23-10-0)

A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary - Various Artists

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

7:00 PM ET

CANADIENS (21-11-2) at ISLANDERS (23-10-0)

TV: RDS, SNE, MSG+ 2

Season series: The Montreal Canadiens won two of three from the New York Islanders last season, including a 1-0 overtime win in the most recent game played at Nassau Coliseum, on Dec. 14, 2013. Max Pacioretty scored and Carey Price made 21 saves for the shutout. The Islanders responded with a 2-0 win at Bell Centre on April 10, 2014, led by power-play goals from Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson.

Canadiens team scope: This is the start of a five-game road trip for Montreal, although the Canadiens will have five days off before they play the second game, on Dec. 29 at the Carolina Hurricanes. "It's going to be big for us," forward Brendan Gallagher said of the game Tuesday. "I think right now you kind of think it as one game and then we've got the Christmas break. … When we come back it'll really feel like a road trip. So for us right now our focus is just on what we have to do to go and win one road game against a team that's playing really well right now." Goaltender Dustin Tokarski returned to the Canadiens on Monday after a two-game conditioning stint with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League. The Canadiens rotated forwards on the fourth line at practice, with Michael Bournival and Sven Andrighetto taking turns on the wing beside Manny Malhotra and Dale Weise.

Islanders team scope: Goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who has won four straight and 15 of his past 17, skated prior to New York's practice Monday and was given the rest of the day off for maintenance, coach Jack Capuano said via the Islanders official Twitter account. Forward John Tavares was sporting some stitches after a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas hit him in the ear Saturday. Tavares had to get stitches on the outside and inside of his ear, according to Newsday, but reported being fine. The Islanders turned a 1-0 deficit late in the third period into a 3-1 win against the Lightning thanks to goals by Tavares and Anders Lee in a span of 12 seconds, plus a Nikolay Kulemin empty-netter. They have won four in a row, their fourth winning streak of at least four games already this season. The Islanders had one four-game winning streak all of last season.

Team Stats