NHL Game Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens with Line Combinations 04/09/2026 | Inside The Rink

HomeNHLNHL Game Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens with Line Combinations 04/09/2026

AP Photo/Chris O’Meara

Tampa Bay Lightning (48-24-6, 102 pts) at Montreal Canadiens (46-22-10, 102 pts)

Venue: Bell Centre
Date: Thursday, April 9
Time: 7:00 pm EST
How To Watch: ESPN+/The Spot/TSN2/RDS
Radio: 102.5 FM The Bone/TSN 690

Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster

Tampa Bay Lightning News & Notes:

The Lightning dropped their second straight on Tuesday night in a 6-2 loss to the Senators. They’ve lost three of their last five games, averaging 2.8 goals per game while allowing 3.6 goals per game.

Montreal Canadiens News & Notes:

The Canadiens got back in the win column with a 4-3 shootout win over the Panthers on Tuesday. They’ve won nine of their last ten games, averaging 3.6 goals per game while allowing two goals per game.

Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines:

Guentzel-Point-Kucherov
Goncalves-Paul-Perry
Girgensons-Gourde-Bjorkstrand
Pelletier-Geekie-Duke

Raddysh-Moser
McDonagh-Cernak
D’Astous-Lilleberg

Vasilevskiy
Johansson

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Montreal Canadiens Projected Lines

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Texier-Newhook-Demidov
Dach-Evans-Bolduc
Kapanen-Danault-Anderson

Matheson-Dobson
Struble-Hutson
Engstrom-Xhekaj

Dobes
Fowler

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Players To Watch:

Tampa Bay Lightning

Nikita Kucherov has four points in two of the three games against Montreal this season, with three goals and an assist.

Montreal Canadiens

Ivan Demidov has a point in all three games against Tampa Bay this season with a goal and three assists.

Injury Report:

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Dominic James – IR
D Maxwell Crozier – IR
F Declan Carlile – IR
D Victor Hedman – DTD
F Brandon Hagel – DTD
F Anthony Cirelli – DTD
F Pontus Holmberg – DTD

Montreal Canadiens

F Patrik Laine – IR
D David Reinbacher – Out
D Alexandre Carrier – Out
F Brendan Gallagher – DTD
F Joe Veleno – DTD
D Kaiden Guhle – DTD

Next Game:

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