Preview: Canadiens at Blackhawks

CANADIENS (13-1-1) at BLACKHAWKS (10-3-2)
7 p.m. ET; SN, WGN, RDS, NHL.TV

Canadiens team scope

Andrew Shaw looks to help the Montreal Canadiens, who lead the NHL with 27 points, win their fifth straight game in his first game back at United Center since he was traded from the Chicago Blackhawks on June 24. Shaw played the first five seasons of his NHL career with Chicago and won the Stanley Cup twice (2013 and 2015). "I told [Chicago defensemen Brent Seabrook] and Duncan Keith I'll try to dump the puck into their corner and get a nice hit in," Shaw said. "But I'm going to take it as any other game, go out there and compete for my team here and the boys are going to do the same. We know we've got a tough game [Sunday] and we've got to go into a tough building and compete." Shaw's line was recently reconfigured with Max Pacioretty at left wing and Phillip Danault at center. The Blackhawks traded Danault to Montreal last season on Feb. 26. Playing together for the first time, they helped the Canadiens to a 5-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Bell Centre on Saturday, combining for three goals and seven points. Al Montoya, who grew up in Chicago, will get the start in net. It will be Montoya's first start since allowing 10 goals on 40 shots on Nov. 4 at the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Canadiens' lone regulation loss.

Blackhawks team scope

Artem Anisimov will return to the Blackhawks' lineup after missing Chicago's 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals at United Center on Friday with an upper-body injury. Anisimov, who centers the second line, has eight goals and 17 points. He's tied with Patrick Kane (17 points) and Marian Hossa (eight goals) for the team lead. The Blackhawks, who have points in each of their past 10 games (8-0-2), will start Corey Crawford in net. They also will have a new left wing on the top line centered by captain Jonathan Toews and could have a change to their fourth line. Rookie Ryan Hartman will skate with Toews and Kane. Forwards Jordin Tootoo and Richard Panik took turns at right wing of the fourth unit during the morning skate. Hartman's play has drawn good reviews since he was scratched in games Oct. 30 and Nov. 1. "Sometimes it's hard for guys to go out of the lineup, but you love to see that response that they come back in the lineup a little bit [ticked off], with a little bit of an edge, and they're ready to contribute in any way that they can," Toews said.

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Canadiens projected lineup

Paul Byron -- Alex Galchenyuk -- Alexander Radulov
Sven Andrighetto -- Tomas Plekanec -- Brendan Gallagher
Max Pacioretty -- Phillip Danault -- Andrew Shaw
Daniel Carr -- Torrey Mitchell -- David Desharnais
Alexei Emelin -- Shea Weber
Andrei Markov -- Jeff Petry
Nathan Beaulieu -- Joel Hanley
Al Montoya
Carey Price
Scratched:Greg Pateryn
Injured:Brian Flynn (upper-body injury)

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Blackhawks projected lineup

Ryan Hartman -- Jonathan Toews -- Patrick Kane
Artemi Panarin -- Artem Anisimov -- Marian Hossa
Vinnie Hinostroza - Dennis Rasmussen -- Nick Schmaltz
Andrew Desjardins - Marcus Kruger - Richard Panik
Duncan Keith -- Brian Campbell
Gustav Forsling -- Niklas Hjalmarsson
Michal Kempny -- Brent Seabrook
Corey Crawford
Scott Darling
Scratched:Jordin Tootoo, Michal Rozsival
Injured:Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body), Tyler Motte (lower body)

Status report

Van Riemsdyk skated before the Blackhawks took the ice as a team for morning skate. Quenneville said it's questionable whether he will re-join them during the "Circus Trip" to western Canada and California that starts this week. … Nothing has changed with Motte's expected recovery time of 2-3 weeks, who will miss his third game since being injured against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 6. … Flynn was a late scratch against the Red Wings on Saturday with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day for the Canadiens. If he can play, Desharnais likely will come out of the lineup.

Who's hot

Hossa has scored goals in three straight games, and has seven goals and 10 points in the past eight games. … Galchenyuk has three goals, three assists and has points in each of the past four games for Montreal.