Bruins vs Red Wings

OTTAWA -- The Montreal Canadiens see a better first period as a key to eliminating the Ottawa Senators in their Eastern Conference First Round series.

The Canadiens lead the Senators 3-0 in the best-of-7 series going into Game 4 on Wednesday at Canadian Tire Centre (7 p.m. ET; CBC, USA, TVA Sports), but have trailed each game 1-0 after the first period.

"We've got to come out with a better start," Canadiens forward Dale Weise said. "They are going to come out hard and we're going to have to weather the storm a little bit. We've got to push a little more. We sat back too much in the first period. They're a good skating team, they're physical. If we let them play the way they did we're going to be in trouble."

OTTAWA -- Facing elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the message from the Ottawa Senators heading into Game 4 of their Eastern Conference First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday at Canadian Tire Centre (7 p.m. ET; CBC, USA, TVA Sports) was a simple one.

"Our starts have been great. Our first periods have been great. We just got to find a way to play three first periods in a game and maybe more," Senators captain Erik Karlsson said. "We need to find a way to stick with it for 60 minutes and not have the setbacks we've had in the second periods, especially. That's what's been killing us so far."

The Senators have led each of the first three games in the series 1-0 after the first period but haven't been able to sustain that level of play.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu will miss the rest of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Ottawa Senators with an upper-body injury.

Beaulieu absorbed two hits from Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson in the second period of Game 3 on Sunday. Although Beaulieu returned, he did not play in the third period or overtime.

"He's been playing really well for us," Canadiens goalie Carey Price said after practice in Saint-Jovite, Quebec, on Tuesday. "He's been moving the puck, he's been eating up some minutes for us, but at the same time we knew going into the playoffs that some guys would probably end up missing some time at some point, so it's just time for other guys to take the opportunity and run with it."

OTTAWA -- Center Zack Smith will play for the Ottawa Senators in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; USA, CBC, TVA Sports).

With the Senators trailing the best-of-7 series 3-0, Smith will replace veteran David Legwand on the fourth line in an attempt to bring more speed to the lineup, coach Dave Cameron said.

Cameron said he wasn't prepared to announce who will start in goal. Craig Anderson started Game 3 and made 47 saves in the 2-1 overtime loss after Andrew Hammond allowed seven goals in the first two games of the series.

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators attended a private memorial service for assistant coach Mark Reeds at Canadian Tire Centre on Monday.

Reeds died last Tuesday from cancer. He was 55.

"He always had a smile on his face. He was always doing a little extra work to help us improve as players and as a team," Senators forward Mark Stone said. "We miss him a great amount. It's one of those things we're trying to move forward from, but it's going to take a real long time to finally get over it."

OTTAWA – The Montreal Canadiens said they know what to expect from the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 of their First Round Eastern Conference series at Canadian Tire Centre on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN).

The Canadiens lead the best-of-7 series 2-0, but they have seen the way the Senators have played when put in a corner this season. The Senators were 14 points out of a playoff spot Feb. 10 and finished the regular season 23-4-4 to earn the first wild card position.

"We know this is going to be tough," Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher said. "This is a big swing game. It's either 3-0 or 2-1 in the series. They are going to come out play with that desperation level they've kind of had all year. They're comfortable in that zone."

OTTAWA – With the Ottawa Senators down 2-0 to the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference First Round, coach Dave Cameron will make a couple of lineup changes for Game 3 of their best-of-7 series at Canadian Tire Centre on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN).

The biggest is goaltender Craig Anderson starting in place of Andrew Hammond, who gave up seven goals in the two losses in Montreal.

Anderson has played four games since Jan. 21, when he sustained a bruised right hand. He went 1-2-1 and gave up 14 goals.

Anderson, who was a star in the Senators first-round win against the Canadiens in 2013, said patience will be the key in his return.

"Sometimes you try to do a little too much, you try to chase the game a bit," he said. "We work hard in practice and try to make it as game-like as we can and try to mimic some stuff. It's a matter of being patient and letting the game come to myself."

OTTAWA – Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson will start Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

The Senators trail the best-of-7 series 2-0.

Andrew Hammond, whose 20-1-2 record as a starter in the NHL sparked the Senators' late-season run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, gave up seven goals in the two losses in Montreal.

"Coach's decision. No more than that," Senators coach Dave Cameron said. "[Anderson]'s a pretty good goaltender."

Anderson has played four games since Jan. 21 when he sustained a bruised right hand. He went 1-2-1 and allowed 14 goals.

OTTAWA -- If the Ottawa Senators are going to avoid going down 3-0 in their best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens, they are going to have to play better in the second period.

The Senators trail the Canadiens 2-0 going into Game 3 on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, NBCSN, TVA Sports) in large part because their second periods in the first two games of the series have been disasters.

The Senators led 1-0 after the first period in both games but have been outscored 6-2 by the Canadiens in the two second periods.

OTTAWA -- Ottawa Senators coach Dave Cameron said Saturday he hasn't decided who will start in goal for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday at Canadian Tire Centre (7 p.m. ET; CBC, NBCSN, TVA Sports).

The Senators trail the Canadiens 2-0 in the best-of-7 series.

Andrew Hammond, the hero of the Senators history-making run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs allowed seven goals on 81 shots (.914 save percentage) in starting the first two games.

Hammond took the starter's job in February when veteran Craig Anderson and backup Robin Lehner sustained injuries.

Anderson, who starred in the Senators' win against the Canadiens in the 2013 playoffs, is Cameron's other option for Game 3.