Game Day - Canadiens vs. Capitals

After dropping a 3-2 decision to the New Jersey Devils in their preseason opener on Monday night, Michel Therrien's troops skated at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard on Tuesday morning in preparation for their tilt against the Washington Capitals at 7:30 p.m. EST.

• Veterans in uniform on Tuesday night include Alexander Radulov, Andrew Shaw, Torrey Mitchell, Brian Flynn and Paul Byron up front, along with regulars Greg Pateryn and Nathan Beaulieu on the back end. Al Montoya will get the start in goal for the Canadiens. He will split the goaltending duties with Zachary Fucale.
  - The Capitals, meanwhile, will be coming to town with the likes of forwards Jay Beagle, Marcus Johansson, Brett Connolly and Christian Thomas, and defensemen Karl Alzner, Taylor Chorney and Darren Dietz. Goaltender Vitek Vanecek and Drew MacIntyre will also be making the trip.
  - The opportunity to make his preseason debut with the Canadiens has Radulov smiling bright. In short, the 30-year-old forward has been looking forward to the opportunity to strut his stuff in front of his new fan base for months, so he's pleased that the time has finally arrived.
  "It's nice to have a chance to jump in and play. It's been a long, long summer. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully, we're going to win and make our fans happy," said Radulov, who will be featured on a line with Shaw and Brian Flynn. "I've just got to show up and play hard every shift I'm out there with my line and help to make them better in all aspects - in the defensive zone, in the neutral zone, and on offense, too. We've got to score. We've got to play well, set the tone, and make sure we have a good one."

Like Radulov, Shaw is eager to get his first start in a Canadiens uniform under his belt after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the NHL Entry Draft in late June.
"The atmosphere in the Bell Centre, it's just unbelievable. To have the whole city behind you, cheering for you, it's really fun to play in front of," said Shaw, who has plenty of nice things to say about his fellow Canadiens newcomer and linemate against Washington.
"[Radulov's] competitive. He works hard. He loves playing the game. All of those things together, it's a good skill set to have. You watch him with the puck, he's so patient and he makes great plays. He's going to be a fun guy to have on our team," praised Shaw, clearly a firm believer that Radulov will be an important contributor to the success of the Canadiens all season long.
- Captain Max Pacioretty spoke to members of the media before jumping on the ice with the rest of Team B following Tuesday's morning skate.
Although disappointed by Team USA's struggles at the World Cup of Hockey, Pacioretty believes it was a beneficial experience for him heading into his ninth NHL season.
"It definitely puts you into shape a little bit better. The speed is there. Obviously, you feel the bumps and bruises a little more when you play that early and that fast. But, it should be a good starter here for what's to come at regular camp," said Pacioretty, who will likely be in the lineup for Thursday night's tilt against the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Centre.
"I learned a lot. I played against a lot of the best players in the world. I would have liked to contribute a little bit more, but I think it got me ready for the season," added Pacioretty, who will go in search of his fourth consecutive 30-goal campaign in 2016-17. "No need to reset, just build off the foundation that was built at the World Cup."

With that in mind, the 27-year-old New Canaan, CT native couldn't be happier to be back in Montreal.
"It's a very good energy [with the group], and it's the first thing everyone's told me even since I was gone," confided Pacioretty with a smile. "I was getting texts from my teammates that said - 'It's a new year. It's a fresh feeling. Everyone is so fired up. The vibes are great.' It's really exciting."
- Speaking of excitement, Charles Hudon is hoping to channel his enthusiasm into a successful preseason outing on Tuesday night on a line with Michael McCarron and Stefan Matteau.
"It's really the first game of my season, so I've got to be ready. Everything I learned in the gym over the summer, I have to put it into use on the ice," explained Hudon, who was the St. John's IceCaps' second-leading point-getter last season with 53 points in 67 games. "I need to work hard and keep doing what I've done well since the beginning of camp."
Suiting up for three games with the big club in 2015-16 has Hudon feeling at ease at training camp right now. While he knows full-well that the Canadiens' brass is paying close attention to every move prospects make on the ice, he isn't letting it throw him off his game.
"I feel more comfortable on the ice. I'm a lot less nervous," admitted Hudon. "I know I'm being looked at, but I feel a lot less watched. I'm more in my bubble than in the past. Yes, management is watching us during practice, but I'm gripping my stick a lot less tightly. That's what I've noticed the most."
- Following the morning skate, the Canadiens confirmed that young gun Mikhail Sergachev had been given the green light to return to practice after sustaining an upper-body injury at the 2016 Rookie Tournament in London, ON.
- The Canadiens also confirmed that defensemen Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin would be back at practice on Thursday following their stint at the World Cup of Hockey.
Probable lineup against Washington:
Shaw - Flynn - Radulov
Byron - Mitchell - Danault
Matteau - McCarron - Hudon
Gregoire - Friberg - MacMillan
Beaulieu - Pateryn
Samuelsson - Johnston
Parisi - Lernout
Montoya
Fucale