The Montreal Canadiens are set to host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
The home team enters the contest with momentum following an impressive 5-2 victory against the Boston Bruins on Thursday, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
This recent win secured at least one point for the Canadiens in their last 12 games and pushed them to the top of the Atlantic Division standings.
The team faces a roster shift as forward Chris Kreider will miss six to eight weeks due to a lower-body injury.
In response to the injury, the organization announced the return of Florian Xhekaj to the lineup, according to Sportsnaut.
In the crease, Jakub Dobes will receive his first start since November 5, replacing rookie netminder Jacob Fowler for the evening.
The visiting Avalanche face their own personnel challenges after injuries sidelined two of the league’s top players.
Both Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar sustained injuries during Thursday’s game against the Ottawa Senators and will not be available for the matchup on Saturday, per the Colorado Avalanche team site.
Despite these absences, the Canadiens are preparing for a competitive game, as management noted the team cannot afford to take the opponent lightly.
The game will be broadcast on TSN2 and RDS for fans looking to follow the action.
The Canadiens currently hold a record of 12-3-4, while the Avalanche enter the game with a record of 11-6-3, as documented by the Montreal Canadiens organization.
The upcoming contest serves as a critical opportunity for Montreal to continue fighting for points in the standings, which could prove decisive for playoff seeding.
Following the final whistle, a comprehensive recap including highlights will be provided to the public, as stated by Sportsnaut.