CANADIENS (36-21-8) at RANGERS (41-21-2)
7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, TVA Sports, MSG, NHL.TV
Canadiens team scope
The Montreal Canadiens have won four straight games, all by one goal. They are coming off of a come-from-behind 2-1 win against the Nashville Predators at Bell Centre on Thursday. It was Montreal's first win in regulation since Jan. 31. The Canadiens also defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets (1-0), the New Jersey Devils (4-3) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2) in overtime. Montreal is 5-2-0 since Claude Julien took over as coach for Michel Therrien on Feb. 14. Goalie Carey Price has a .947 save percentage and 1.47 goals-against average since the coaching change. Montreal has scored 13 goals in Julien's seven games and has 23 goals in 14 games since Feb. 2 and hopes for a spark against the Rangers. "Yeah, that's a team that we want to beat, a team we have a chance of facing if we make the playoffs and they make the playoffs," captain Max Pacioretty said Friday. "All that's important. But we really just need to bear down for two points here, especially now when things aren't going perfect offensively. It's got to be the mindset."
Rangers team scope
New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has 403 wins and needs one more to pass Grant Fuhr and move into sole possession of 10th place on the NHL's all-time wins list. Lundqvist would also pass Martin Brodeur for the most wins by a goaltender in his first 12 seasons and become the first goaltender in NHL history with 30 or more wins in 11 of his first 12 seasons, as well as the third goaltender with at least 30 wins in 11 or more seasons (Brodeur, Patrick Roy). New York is coming off of a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Thursday that ended a two-game losing streak. Captain Ryan McDonagh said the Rangers need to see a similar effort Saturday. "As we continue here, we have to find ways to put three periods back-to-back against one another and that's what our mindset should be," he told the Rangers website on Saturday. Defenseman Brandon Smith made his Rangers debut against the Bruins after being acquired from the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, and had two penalty minutes in 20:51 of ice time. "I'm going to have the jitters," he said about playing in his first game at Madison Square Garden with the Rangers. The Rangers are 4-3-1 since going on a six-game winning streak from Feb. 2-13. They are 5-2-1 in their past eight games at home, including a 3-2 shootout loss to the Canadiens on Feb. 21.
Canadiens projected lineup
Max Pacioretty -- Phillip Danault -- Alexander Radulov
Artturi Lehkonen -- Alex Galchenyuk -- Brendan Gallagher
Paul Byron -- Tomas Plekanec -- Andrew Shaw
Dwight King -- Michael McCarron -- Torrey Mitchell
Nathan Beaulieu -- Jordie Benn
Carey Price
Scratched: Brandon Davidson, Nikita Nesterov, Brian Flynn, Andreas Martinsen, Steve Ott
Injured: None
Rangers projected lineup
Chris Kreider -- Derek Stepan -- Mats Zuccarello
Pavel Buchnevich -- Mika Zibanejad -- Rick Nash
Jimmy Vesey -- Kevin Hayes -- J.T. Miller
Brandon Pirri -- Oscar Lindberg -- Matt Puempel
Ryan McDonagh -- Brendan Smith
Brady Skjei -- Adam Clendening
Henrik Lundqvist
Scratched: None
Injured: Jesper Fast (upper body), Dan Girardi (ankle), Kevin Klein (back), Michael Grabner (hip)
Status report
Buchnevich, who scored against the Bruins, is expected to play. Pirri or Puempel could be scratched if Grabner is ready to return. Girardi, Klein, Fast and Grabner have all been out of the lineup. Girardi and Fast will each be out at least another week and a half. It's unclear if Klein and Grabner will be in the lineup. … The Canadiens did not have a morning skate.
Who's hot
Pacioretty has 17 poiints (10 goals, seven assists) in 15 games since the NHL All-Star break. Galchenyuk has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past four games. … Lindberg, who scored against the Bruins, has three goals in his past six games. Skjei has three points in his past four games (one goal, two assists).
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