OTTAWA -- Montreal Canadiens captain Brian Gionta and center Ryan White are out of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday (CNBC, CBC, RDS) with upper-body injuries.
Gionta also missed Game 2 of the series after his left arm got wrenched backward during Game 1, though he finished that game.
Losing Gionta creates a big hole in Montreal's top-six forward group, forcing Travis Moen to play on an offensive line. The loss of White in a game that risks being very physical also hurt.
Center Jeff Halpern, a strong faceoff man who plays on the Montreal penalty kill, was back in the lineup.
Rookie Gabriel Dumont and Halpern dressed in Game 2 when Gionta and left wing Max Pacioretty were out. Halpern played nearly 12 minutes, had a team-high five shots on goal and won seven of 12 faceoffs in Montreal's 3-1 win. Dumont dished out three hits in his first career game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here is what the Canadiens' lineup might look like in Game 4, keeping in mind the team did no line rushes at the morning skate (click here for the potential Senators lineup):
Rene Bourque - Tomas Plekanec - Michael Ryder
Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Travis Moen
Brendan Gallagher - Alex Galchenyuk - Brandon Prust
Gabriel Dumont - Jeff Halpern - Colby Armstrong
Francis Bouillon - Jarred Tinordi
Scratched: Tomas Kaberle, Yannick Weber, Mike Blunden
Injured: Alexei Emelin (knee), Lars Eller (concussion), Brian Gionta (upper body), Ryan White (upper body)