Bruins vs Red Wings

Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty remains a question mark for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Ottawa Senators on Friday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, CNBC, TVA Sports).

Pacioretty has not played since April 5 because of an upper-body injury.

Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said after the Canadiens held an optional morning skate Friday that he had not spoken with the medical staff and could not give an update on Pacioretty's availability.

MONTREAL -- Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone sustained a microfracture and ligament damage to his right wrist in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday and his availability for the remainder of the series is unknown, Senators general manager Bryan Murray said Thursday.

"He came back [Wednesday] night as a courageous guy after being hurt," Murray said. "I listened to some people talk that he sold it pretty good, but he was hurt."

Murray could not say with any clarity what the chances are of Stone returning in the series and couldn't confirm that he would miss Game 2 of the series at Bell Centre on Friday (7 p.m. ET; CNBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

MONTREAL -- Brian Flynn was named the first star and Torrey Mitchell the second star of the Montreal Canadiens' 4-3 victory Wednesday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference First Round series against the Ottawa Senators.

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin was robbed.

Every player Bergevin acquired for the Canadiens over the course of the season had a big impact in helping them open the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a victory.

Mitchell and Flynn, acquired in separate trades with the Buffalo Sabres at the NHL Trade Deadline on March 2, scored the opening and winning goals for the Canadiens, helping replace the offense that was lost with leading scorer Max Pacioretty out of the lineup with an upper-body injury.

Forward Devante Smith-Pelly, acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 24 for Jiri Sekac in a trade that was widely criticized in Montreal, was a physical presence. He was credited with six hits and was around the net all night. It was easily his best game with the Canadiens.

Finally, defenseman Jeff Petry, acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on deadline day, continued his strong play and helped compensate for the loss of top defenseman P.K. Subban, who was ejected at 8:23 of the second period for slashing Senators forward Mark Stone.

MONTREAL -- During Andrew Hammond's remarkable 23-game run to spark the Ottawa Senators to an improbable berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he allowed four or more goals in a game twice.

He gave up four in the second period of the Senators' 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday at Bell Centre in Game 1 of their best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series.

The goals were less a reflection on the play of the 27-year-old goaltender, who was making his playoff debut, and more about the performance of the Senators in front of him.

"We weren't good enough in front of him," Ottawa coach Dave Cameron said said. "I have no trouble with my goaltending whatsoever."

MONTREAL -- Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban received a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for slashing Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone at 8:23 of the second period.

Stone left Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round series Wednesday at Bell Centre briefly with an apparent arm injury but returned to play.

BROSSARD, Quebec -- The Montreal Canadiens will not have leading scorer Max Pacioretty in their lineup for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA, ROOT, MSG).

Montreal coach Michel Therrien confirmed Pacioretty will not play after the Canadiens morning skate at their suburban practice facility.

Pacioretty led the Canadiens this season with 37 goals and 67 points and had a plus-38 rating that tied for the NHL lead. Therrien said it was possible the 26-year-old left wing would be able to return for Game 2 on Friday.

"Like I said at the beginning of the week, we'll take him when he's back at 100 percent," Therrien said. "It was possible that it would have been [Wednesday], but that's obviously not the case. It could be Friday, it could be Sunday, so as soon as we get the OK from the medical team we'll be very happy to have him back in the lineup."

Goaltending plays an integral part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. NHL.com decided to break down perhaps the most interesting goaltending matchup in the Eastern Conference First Round: Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens vs. Andrew Hammond of the Ottawa Senators.

Much like many goaltending coaches will do before a playoff series, NHL.com correspondent Kevin Woodley, the managing editor of InGoal Magazine, charted every goal scored against each goalie in this matchup this season with the help of a program from Double Blue Sport Analytics. The graphics showing where the goals went in are nice, but the real value is tracking and analyzing the types of plays that led to them, and whether they reveal strengths, weaknesses and tendencies that can be targeted.

OTTAWA -- Dave Cameron is a funny guy.

No, really, he is.

The Ottawa Senators coach often projects an all-business approach behind the bench, eyes steely behind his metal-framed glasses, with a couple of fiery rants thrown in during the unprecedented late-season run to a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

When the Senators clinched with a win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, Cameron unleashed an enthusiastic fist pump.

He was asked if he was pretty emotional at that moment.

"I'd say human? I am human," he said. "You don't see it, but we show it a lot. That's one of the things in this business is that you get portrayed a certain way because people see you periodically. Unless you spend every day with somebody, you really don't really know what they're like. My perception has always been that I'm real stern. I call it matter-of-fact. I tell you what I think.

"I think if you talk to most people they'd tell you one of my biggest strengths is my sense of humor."

BROSSARD, Quebec -- Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty has not been cleared to play by team medical staff, coach Michel Therrien said Tuesday, leaving his status for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs uncertain.

Therrien did not expect Pacioretty to be available for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN-US, CBC, TVA Sports), though he did not completely rule him out.

Pacioretty, who led the team with 37 goals and 67 points and had a plus-38 rating that tied for the NHL lead, missed the last two games of the regular season because of an upper-body injury. He wore a contact jersey and practiced with his teammates Tuesday, though he did not take part in line rushes or any contact drills.

"I'll be surprised," Therrien said. "I believe that if they think that Max is going to be there they would let us know [Tuesday] morning."

BROSSARD, Quebec – Max Pacioretty might be ready for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Montreal Canadiens left wing and leading scorer took another step towards a return to the lineup Monday when he practiced with his teammates for the first time since he sustained an upper-body injury April 5.

It was Pacioretty’s third straight day on the ice and he said he was able to skate at 100 percent exertion for the second straight day, though he has not yet been cleared to take contact.