CGY@MTL: Victor Mete returns against the Flames

BROSSARD - Head coach Claude Julien is making only one change to his lineup for Tuesday night's contest against the Flames.

After missing a pair of games with a minor injury, defenseman Victor Mete will be back in uniform, while Karl Alzner is a healthy scratch.
According to Mete, the injury occurred during the game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 15.
"I got a puck in the same spot I broke last year, so my finger kind of puffed up a bit. There are 82 games in a season, so it's not really worth maybe hurting it even more," explained Mete, referencing the fracture he suffered last March that cost him the remainder of the season. "Since it was in the same spot, I wasn't sure how it was going to react to it. I'm happy it just bruised. I wasn't able to move it for a little bit, but it's back now."
While the 20-year-old Woodbridge, ON native believes he could've suited up against the Senators over the weekend, watching from afar isn't necessarily a bad thing for a young rearguard.
"You can see from above, the game looks way slower and easier, so you kind of see how much time you have," mentioned Mete, who is hoping to use that experience to his advantage. "I thought last year it worked for me when I was out for a game, so I think this year will be the same."
As for his lack of point production so far this season, Mete isn't at all concerned about failing to register his name on the scoresheet just yet.
"I'm not too worried. We're coming out with wins, so I think that's all that really matters," stressed Mete. "I think we're doing pretty good right now, so hopefully we can keep it up."
No switches up front
While Charles Hudon will miss his second straight game as a healthy scratch on Tuesday night, Nikita Scherbak will be watching his eighth consecutive game from the press box.
Following Tuesday's on-ice session, Julien expanded upon the way in which he and his staff are keeping the lines of communication open with Scherbak as he awaits his 2018-19 debut.
"We've had chats… I think in his case, he knows what he needs to work on. We want him to get better in tight areas. He's working on that in practice and the minute he's ready to go and we need him, he's got to be sharp," explained Julien. "He's had a great attitude, he's working hard. He's a young player and he understands and believes he needs to get better in those areas. There's been some good conversations. We really want to help him become a good player because he's got a lot of upside to his game."
Looking for a spark
Nicolas Deslauriers, Matthew Peca and Andrew Shaw weren't pleased with their collective effort as a line against the Senators.
Fortunately, they'll get another shot at playing alongside one another on Tuesday night.
"Shawzy, Pec and I chatted this morning and we all know what we have to bring to the team, so things will be better tonight," stated Deslauriers, who played his first game of the season in the nation's capital after recovering from facial fracture surgery. "As the game went on, I felt better. There's no excuse, though. I worked hard to come back. Let's just say that first game will be my worst."
Tough opposition
There's no denying that the Flames present a formidable challenge on Tuesday night.
Bill Peters' squad is coming in hot with three wins in their last four games, including a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.
Johnny Gaudreau put up a pair of goals against the Rangers and boasts four goals in his last four games.
"I'm going to say the same thing I say with any great player, you've got to take his time and space away. If you give him some room, he'll make something happen," said Julien, when asked how the Canadiens plan on containing the Flames' top sniper and leading point-getter. "He wants the puck, and every time he has the puck, he makes something happen. He's a player that I think everyone respects around the League for what he's done and what he continues to do."
Gaudreau's linemates Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm are equally dangerous, of course, and they all bring something different to the table, according to Jonathan Drouin.
"Johnny is a guy who controls the puck. You know that he'll get his chances, but we have to limit him. Monahan is always near the net, he gets rebounds and he always does the dirty work, and Lindholm is a righty and a good shooter," mentioned Drouin. "It's a line that will have a lot of success this season, so we'll have to be ready."