Fri, 3 Apr 2015 Canadiens @ Devils 7:00 PM EST RDS Sportsnet 360 MSG+ TSN 690

[habs_93]

CANADIENS (47-22-9) at DEVILS (31-33-13)

TV: RDS, Sportsnet 360, MSG+
Radio: TSN 690 CKGM, WFAN 660

Canadiens Last 5: 1-2-2 (OT1)
Devils Last 5: 0-3-2 (OT1)

Canadiens: 16.6% PP (23rd), 83.1% PK (9th), 2.58 Goals/G (22nd), 2.24 Goals Against/G (1st), 28.4 Shots/G (26th), 30.5 Shots Against/G (23rd), 48.3 5-on-5 Corsi for % (23rd), 48.7 5-on-5 Fenwick for % (21st)

Devils: 19.4% PP (9th), 81.1% PK (16th), 2.16 Goals/G (28th), 2.47 Goals Against/G (11th), 24.4 Shots/G (29th), 30.6 Shots Against/G (24th), 47.0 5-on-5 Corsi for % (25rd), 46.8 5-on-5 Fenwick for % (26th)


NEWARK, N.J. -- The Montreal Canadiens continue their pursuit of the Atlantic Division title against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Friday.

With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Canadiens lead the Atlantic with 103 points. The Tampa Bay Lightning, who have played one more game than the Canadiens, have 102 points.

The Devils role in all this, of course, is playing spoiler. The Devils, who have five games remaining, will miss qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs a third straight season.

"We want to keep pushing right to the end," Devils forward Adam Henrique said. "Every game is important to us to put wins on the board. It's been tough recently and we've played some games that haven't gone our way, but we'll push to the end. The last five games are important."

The Canadiens did not have a morning skate Friday after a 5-4 shootout loss against the Washington Capitals at Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday.

Montreal defenseman Tom Gilbert returned to the lineup against the Capitals. He skated with Nathan Beaulieu, scored a goal and led the team with four blocked shots in 21:28 of ice time. Gilbert had missed the previous four games after sustaining a broken jaw on March 21. He wore a clear plastic chin protector attached to his helmet.

Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban had his first multipoint game since Feb. 26, a span of 17 games, with a goal and three points. Montreal allowed three power-play goals in the loss.

Devils center Stephen Gionta missed a third straight day on the ice since sustaining a lower back injury late in regulation of a 3-2 overtime loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. General manager and interim coach Lou Lamoriello said Gionta is day-to-day. Forward Reid Boucher, who has no points in seven games this season, will replace Gionta in the lineup.


Here are the projected lineups:

CANADIENS

Max Pacioretty – David Desharnais – PA Parenteau

Alex Galchenyuk – Tomas Plekanec – Brendan Gallagher

Brandon Prust – Lars Eller – Dale Weise

Jacob De La Rose – Torrey Mitchell – Devante Smith-Pelly


Andrei Markov – P.K. Subban

Alexei Emelin – Jeff Petry

Nathan Beaulieu – Tom Gilbert


Dustin Tokarski

Carey Price


Scratched: Greg Pateryn, Sergei Gonchar, Mike Weaver, Brian Flynn, Manny Malhotra

Injured: None

Leading Scorer: Max Pacioretty (37-30-67)
Ice Time Leader: P.K. Subban (26:07)


DEVILS

Reid Boucher - Scott Gomez - Steve Bernier

Stefan Matteau - Travis Zajac - Mike Cammalleri

Adam Henrique - Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus

Tuomo Ruutu - Jacob Josefson - Jordin Tootoo


Andy Greene - Adam Larsson

Mark Fraser - Damon Severson

Jon Merrill - Eric Gelinas


Keith Kinkaid

Cory Schneider


Scratched: Martin Havlat, Michael Ryder, Peter Harrold

Injured: Bryce Salvador (back), Ryane Clowe (concussion), Stephen Gionta (lower body)

Leading Scorer: Adam Henrique (16-25-41)
Ice Time Leader: Andy Greene (23:31)


Status report: Boucher returns to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the past two games. … Kinkaid is 0-2-0 with a 4.57 goals-against average and .870 save percentage in two starts this season against the Canadiens. Schneider will start against the New York Rangers on Saturday. … The Canadiens starting goalie will be confirmed during pregame warm-ups.

Who's hot: Pacioretty has three goals and seven points in the past seven games. … Cammalleri scored twice in a 3-2 loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday and now has 27 goals, the third-highest total of his NHL career. He scored 34 in 2006-07 and 39 in 2008-09.

All Time Record vs. New Jersey: 71-60-10-3 (.538 Point %)

Last Meeting: 07/02/15

NJD 2 - MTL 6

[Marathon.Man]

^{GO HABS GO!!!}

[ColRouleBleu]

Markov not playing tonight

Gonchar to take his place on Subban's left

[BigTed3]

Markov not playing tonight

Gonchar to take his place on Subban's left

I don't mind this. Markov looked a little gassed at times last night. Not the only one, but he needs to be rested for the playoffs. Gonchar, conversely, needs to play a game or two to shake off some rust ahead of the post-season. So to me, this is a good decision from Therrien to rotate in his veterans.

[HabsRuleForever]

Let's go Gonchar & save everything Tokarski.

Win all the faceoffs Manny especially on the PK.

Catch the cab Cammy & Gnomez tonight. lol

[spyVSspy]

With Price trying to tie and beat the win record for Canadiens goalies, it's hard to get excited for these games with Tokarski in net.

[Guest archey]

Like this we won't win.

[HabsRuleForever]

Oh yeah great start.

[Alex0821]

Great start you said...

[HabsRuleForever]

Great start you said...

Oh yeah formidable.

[Alex0821]

It sounds the win!

Oh wait...

[Guest archey]

Go offsides on a horrible change. We got it togethor

[spyVSspy]

Gilbert is blind, Pacioretty was so open at the net.

[Guest archey]

we're killing on shots though. suicide is killing

[habs_93]

So, they're putting cameras in each of the goal posts for the playoffs. It's about time. Now they just need to upgrade the overhead cameras.

[Alex0821]

For sure.

[habs_93]

Nothing like making one of the NHL's most worthless teams look fantastic.

[spyVSspy]

Damn!

[HabsRuleForever]

Nothing like making one of the NHL's most worthless teams look fantastic.

Yup it's been a year since he scored.

[habs_93]

His 2nd NHL goal in 20 games.

[spyVSspy]

How do you not control that shot? Tokarski is not an NHL goalie.

[Alex0821]

How do you not control that shot? Tokarski is not an NHL goalie.

But he played some very great games, he's not the best, not Price for sure.

[habs_93]

How do you not control that shot? Tokarski is not an NHL goalie.

It's all Subban's fault, according to Sportsnet.

[HabsRuleForever]

It's all Subban's fault, according to Sportsnet.

He did drift into no mans land on the play.

[habs_93]

He did drift into no mans land on the play.

Perhaps, but I'm pretty sure I've never heard that guy say a single good thing about P.K.