MTL@PHI: Five things you need to know

PHILADELPHIA - Here are five things you need to know ahead of Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.

1. The Canadiens are coming off an important win over the archrival Boston Bruins on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre. In his 1,200th career game behind an NHL bench, head coach Claude Julien and the Habs won the barnburner 5-4. Victor Mete (twice), Tomas Tatar, Paul Byron, and Ben Chiarot lit the lamp and helped the Habs snap the Bruins' six-game winning streak. It was just the second regulation loss of the season for Boston and a first since October 10 against the Colorado Avalanche.

2. The Habs' coaching staff decided to make some changes to their defense corps for the Bruins game, and it paid off. Captain Shea Weber was paired up with Chiarot, while Mete patrolled the blue line with Jeff Petry. Mete took the opportunity to score his second and third goals of the season, making him the top-scoring defenseman on the Montreal roster. For his part, Petry finished the night with a pair of assists, while Chiarot netted the game winner and added an assist.

3. With a goal and an assist against Boston, Tatar joined Brendan Gallagher as the Habs' top point-getters with 13 (5G, 8A). The Slovak forward is the third-best scorer against the Flyers with 10 points in 18 games. Gallagher ranks first with 10 goals for 16 points in 20 games. The October Molson Cup winner notched the first hat trick of his career last season against the Flyers.

4. Alain Vigneault's troops, featuring former Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien as an assistant, won their last game 4-1 at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. Philadelphia is 7-5-2 this season. Forward Travis Konecny leads his squad with seven goals for 15 points, while Oskar Lindblom is next with 12 points. Captain Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek each have four goals and seven assists for 11 points.
5. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. You can catch all the action on TSN2 and RDS on television, and on TSN 690 and 98,5 fm on the radio. The Canadiens head right home after the game, and welcome the Los Angeles Kings to the Bell Centre on Saturday night.