The Canadiens are hoping to do better than they did in their last two games when they host the Edmonton Oilers in Montreal tonight.
After putting together two poor performances in a row earlier this week, they face a team that is on fire as the Oilers snap a nine-game winning streak. You can watch this matchup on TVA Sports starting at 7 p.m.
This first confrontation of the season between the two clubs marks Joshua Roy's NHL debut. The Quebec forward was recalled by the Laval Rocket for the first time last night.
Roy will replace Josh Anderson, who has a lower-body injury. His condition is reassessed daily.
He will play on the second line alongside Sean Monahan and Joel Armia.
Roy is currently playing his first full professional season. In 34 games for the Habs' farm club, he found the net twelve times and provided 18 assists, for a total of 30 points.
The CH selected the Saint-Georges-de-Beauce native in the fifth round (150th overall) in 2021. In his final round in the LHMJQ in 2022-2023, he burned down the circuit with an impressive haul of 99 points.
In defense, Johnathan Kovacevic will return to the lineup. Justin Barron will be left out.
Samuel Montembeault will start in net for the second consecutive season. On Thursday, the Quebec goaltender allowed three goals on 35 shots a 2-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks.
The Oilers on fire!
The Oilers are one of the teams of the moment. Connor McDavid contributed significantly to these successes with 15 points in the last nine games. Like his teammates, he is truly revitalized. The Oilers' troubled past, marked by ten losses in the first twelve games of the season and the replacement of head coach Jay Woodcroft by Kris Knoblauch, is behind them.
The team from Alberta is now in fourth place in the Pacific Division with 45 points in 38 games (22-15-1 record). They are three points behind the Los Angeles Kings (20-10-8) and have not won in their last seven games.
The CH, in turn, is in sixth place in the Atlantic region with a record of 17-18-6.
The CH formation against the Oilers:
Attacker:
- Caufield – Suzuki – Slafkovsky
- Roy-Monahan-Armia
- Harvey Pinard – Evans – Gallagher
- Pezzetta – Stephens – Ylönen
Defender:
- Matheson-Guhle
- Struble-Savard
- Harris-Kovacevic
Guardian :