Montreal Canadiens vs Flames Game Time, Preview, How To Watch

Montreal Canadiens games have been quite exciting for Habs fans so far this season. The team is off to a terrific 5-0-2 start to their season thanks to a nearly perfect road trip and a dominant performance in their home opener.

The Canadiens lost in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs on opening night, but then headed out west and went 4-0-1 in five games against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.

They returned home to the Bell Centre to take on the Calgary Flames and put on another dazzling display.

The Canadiens more or less limped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to a goals from Shea Weber and Brendan Gallagher. The Habs captain played pitch and catch with Jeff Petry at the point on the power play before hammering a one-timer past Flames backup goaltender David Rittich. It was the hardest shot Rittich has seen all season, mostly because it was his first game of the year, but also because Weber can still demolish a puck.

Brendan Gallagher extended the lead to 2-0 when he tapped in another power play marker. This one was all Corey Perry who picked up a pass from Jesperi Kotkaniemi at the side of the crease and turned before slipping a perfect backhand pass to Gallagher at the top of the crease. It was one of the weakest shots Rittich faced all year but it’s hard to stop a one-timer when you are at the other side of the net.

Josh Anderson made it 3-0 midway through the second period when he batted a puck out of the air and Tyler Toffoli pushed the lead to 4-0 when Nick Suzuki sent him in on a breakaway and he just gained control long enough to shovel a puck on net and it squeaked through the pads of Rittich.

The Flames finally scored with 1:18 to go and then added another with 23 seconds left in the game to make it look like a close game. The 4-2 final score doesn’t show quite how thoroughly the Habs controlled this game.

Now, the two teams will lock horns once again tonight. The Flames lost a pair of games to the Toronto Maple Leafs before taking on the Habs so they are not dealing with a three game losing streak, dropping their record to 2-3-1.

The Habs lines shouldn’t change as Joel Armia remains out of the lineup with a concussion.

Drouin – Suzuki – Anderson

Tatar – Danault – Gallagher

Toffoli – Kotkaniemi – Perry

Lehkonen – Evans – Byron

Chiarot – Weber

Edmundson – Petry

Kulak – Romanov

Price started on Thursday night and the Habs are off again tomorrow. There was no announcement made yet, but with no game tomorrow, before the Vancouver Canucks are in town for games on Monday and Tuesday, it would make sense to have Price start again tonight and then Jake Allen play on Monday.

The game begins at 7:00 PM EST and can be seen on CBC, City and TVA Sports.