Credit: Natalie Reid-Imagn Images

Game 37: Montreal Canadiens @ Boston Bruins

Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Penguins region: NESN
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+

In his first game with the Canadiens since departing after their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, Phillip Danault will centre Alexandre Texier and Josh Anderson. Both of those wingers have had good production in December with three goals apiece, and their offensive chances should only go up with a strong possession player like Danault handling things in the middle.

The game will serve as Jacob Fowler’s fifth at the NHL level as he goes for consecutive wins for the first time. He brings a .915 save percentage into the battle with Jeremy Swayman, who has played in each of the Bruins’ last five games, most recently coming on in relief of Joonas Korpisalo in a blowout by the Ottawa Senators. Boston is more prone to giving up goals than usual this year, and the Habs can take advantage with a consistent effort from all four lines.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Left Wing
Centre
Right Wing

#20 Juraj Slafkovský
#91 Oliver Kapanen
#93 Ivan Demidov

#13 Cole Caufield
#14 Nick Suzuki
#76 Zachary Bolduc

#85 Alexandre Texier
#24 Phillip Danault
#17 Josh Anderson

#90 Joe Veleno
#62 Owen Beck
#11 Brendan Gallagher

Left Defence
Right Defence

#8 Mike Matheson
#53 Noah Dobson

#48 Lane Hutson
#42 Adam Engström

#72 Arber Xhekaj
#45 Alexandre Carrier

Starter
Backup

#32 Jacob Fowler
#75 Jakub Dobeš

Scratched: Sammy Blais, Jayden Struble
Conditioning loan: Samuel Montembeault
Injured: Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, Kaiden Guhle, Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook

Boston Bruins projected lineup

Left Wing
Centre
Right Wing

Morgan Geekie
Elias Lindholm
David Pastrnak

Casey Mittelstadt
Pavel Zacha
Viktor Arvidsson

Tanner Jeannot
Fraser Minten
Mark Kastelic

Alex Steeves
Sean Kuraly
Marat Khusnutdinov

Left Defence
Right Defence

Nikita Zadorov
Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm
Andrew Peeke

Vladislav Kolyachokok
Mason Lohrei

Starter
Backup

Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo