Canadiens vs. Golden Knights: The thread and lines of the game

Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Game 20: Montreal Canadiens vs. Vegas Golden Knights

Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In Canada: CityTV, Sportsnet East/Ontario (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the Golden Knights region: SCRIPPS
Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+

Although the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens have generally been found on opposite ends of the standings since the former’s inception back in 2017, the teams have played close games in their short history, and that includes a six-game playoff series in 2021. The last meeting saw a 12-3-1 Golden Knights team enter the Bell Center around this time last season, and they finished their game with three power-play goals to earn a 6-5 victory.

The power play remains dangerous this year, so all the defensive work the team has put in over the past several weeks will be put to the test again. But Montreal’s four-day break was spent more on transition play and offensive tactics, so the team is a little better prepared for the offensive side of things tonight.

It’s the same forward group that earned a 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday that will take the ice tonight. The only change to the 18-man lineup from the previous game is Justin Barron replacing Jayden Struble on the third pairing. It will be just Barron’s second game in the month of November, as Struble has placed more emphasis on the last spot in the rotation. Barron will have to do his part to limit the stars in Las Vegas’ lineup to keep that spot when the Habs next play on Tuesday.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Left wing Center Right wing
#20 Juraj Slafkovský #14 Nick Suzuki #77 Kirby Roof
#35 Alex Newhook #71 Jake Evans #13 Cole Caufield
#17 Josh Anderson #28 Christian Dvorak #11 Brendan Gallagher
#51 Emil Heineman #82 Lucas Condotta #40 Joel Armia
Left Defense The right defense
#21 Kaiden Guhle #8 Mike Matheson
#48 Lane Hutson #58 David Savard
#72 Arber Xhekaj #52 Justin Barron
Starting Backup
#35 Samuel Montembeault #30 Cayden Primeau

Scratched: Michael Pezzetta, Jayden Struble
Fitness loan: Rafael Harvey-Pinard
Damaged: Patrick Laine

Vegas Golden Knights expected lineup

Left wing Center Right wing
Ivan Barbashev Jack Eichel Alexander Holtz
Thomas Hertl Nicholas Roy Keegan Kolesar
Brett Howden William Karlsson Pavel Dorofeyev
Tanner Pearson Cole Schwindt Cal Burke
Left Defense The right defense
Shea Theodore Zach Whitecloud
Noah Hanifin Nic Hague
Brayden McNabb Keden Korczak
Starting Backup
Adin Hill Ilya Samsonov