Canadiens at Kings preview

CANADIENS (1-4-1) at KINGS (4-0-1)
10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV

Goaltender Al Montoya will make his first start of the season for Montreal, which has lost five straight and has scored nine goals through six games.
The Kings have won two straight games and are the only team in the NHL that has yet to lose in regulation. That hasn't stopped coach John Stevens from tinkering to try to get more production from his third line. Forward Justin Auger will make his NHL debut and is expected to be on that line with Michael Cammalleri, who will return after being scratched for the past two games. Auger (6-foot-6, 232 pounds) was recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.

Players to watch

Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty scored his only goal in the season-opening win against the Buffalo Sabres. Pacioretty does not have a point in his past five games and is minus-5 in that span.
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty has a two-game goal streak, having scored the game-winner in each. Doughty played a season-low 20:40 against the New York Islanders on Sunday but was fresh and at his best when called on to play 8:48 in the third period.

They said it

"The biggest thing for us is we're being tested right now and we've got to find a way to stick together in here and battle through it." -- Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber
"Just thought he was a different look. Big guy that's good on the wall that can play a north-south game. We liked his progression, so we thought we'd get him up and get him involved in practice and get a look at him." -- Kings coach John Stevens on forward Justin Auger

Canadiens projected lineup

Max Pacioretty -- Jonathan Drouin -- Artturi Lehkonen
Paul Byron -- Tomas Plekanec -- Brendan Gallagher
Charles Hudon -- Phillip Danault -- Andrew Shaw
Alex Galchenyuk -- Torrey Mitchell -- Ales Hemsky
Victor Mete -- Shea Weber
Karl Alzner -- Jeff Petry
Joe Morrow -- Brandon Davidson
Al Montoya
Carey Price
Scratched:Jacob de la Rose, Jordie Benn
Injured: David Schlemko (hand)

Kings projected lineup

Alex Iafallo -- Anze Kopitar -- Dustin Brown
Tanner Pearson -- Jeff Carter -- Tyler Toffoli
Michael Cammalleri -- Adrian Kempe --
Justin Auger
Andy Andreoff -- Nicholas Shore -- Trevor Lewis
Derek Forbort -- Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin -- Alec Martinez
Christian Folin -- Oscar Fantenberg
Jonathan Quick
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched: Nic Dowd, Kurtis MacDermid
Injured: Kyle Clifford (upper body), Marian Gaborik (knee)

Status report

Schelmko is expected to miss 3-4 weeks after the defenseman had surgery Wednesday to remove a bone fragment in his right hand. ... The Kings assigned forward Jonny Brodzinski to Ontario on Tuesday. He did not have a point in three games.

Stat pack

Drouin (two goals, three assists) is the only Montreal player with more than one goal. The Canadiens have been outscored 8-3 in the second period. … The Kings have outscored opponents 6-1 in the second.