Music: {allcanada} CANADIENS (20-14-3) at LIGHTNING (18-15-3)

Sunday, December 27, 2015

{allcanada} CANADIENS (20-14-3) at LIGHTNING (18-15-3)

Amazon.com - Amazon.ca - Wal-Mart - Mr.Beer - GameStop - Match.com - Work From Home

Monday, December 28, 2015

7:30 PM ET

CANADIENS (20-14-3) at LIGHTNING (18-15-3)

TV: RDS, SNE, SUN

Season series: The Tampa Bay Lightning swept five games from the Montreal Canadiens last season. Steven Stamkos had five goals, Victor Hedman had two goals and four assists, and Tyler Johnson had three goals for the Lightning, who outscored the Canadiens 21-8. Tomas Plekanec had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.

Canadiens team scope: Montreal, which started its season by going 9-0-0, finds itself out of first place in the Atlantic Division; the Canadiens are one point behind the Florida Panthers, their opponent Tuesday in Sunrise, Fla. Montreal comes into Amalie Arena on a 1-10-0 slide, including six consecutive losses. "We're just not playing our best right now but it is a really good team," center Lars Eller told the Canadiens website. "You have to stay positive. It sounds cliché, but when you have a lack of confidence as a team you have to get back to the basics and fundamentals. ... I still think we can turn it around. Our goal is to get into the playoffs. We have to focus on the game [Monday]. It's simple and it's boring but it's true." Following practice Sunday, coach Michel Therrien confirmed forward Sven Andrighetto will be back in the lineup against the Lightning. Andrighetto has been a healthy scratch the past four games. Mike Condon will start in goal. Montreal recalled former Lightning defenseman Mark Barberio from St. John's of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Lightning team scope: Forwards Ondrej Palat (undisclosed), Tyler Johnson (undisclosed), Brian Boyle (upper body) and Jonathan Drouin (lower body) all were on the ice for practice Sunday. "I could see most of them playing on this [three-game] homestand," coach Jon Cooper told the Lightning website. Palat is the only one of the four ruled out against the Canadiens, according to the Tampa Tribune. Boyle, Johnson and Drouin are day-to-day. Cooper also confirmed that Ben Bishop, who had 30 saves in a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, will start in goal.