Canadiens at Blue Jackets preview

CANADIENS (11-5-4) at BLUE JACKETS (7-8-4)
7 p.m. ET; FS-O, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV

The Canadiens' three-game winning streak ended Saturday with a 4-3 overtime loss against the New Jersey Devils, but they are 7-1-2 in their past 10 games, including a 3-2 shootout win against the Blue Jackets at Bell Centre on Nov. 12.
Montreal will be without forward Jonathan Drouin for eight weeks after he had wrist surgery Monday, and forward Paul Byron for four weeks after he had knee surgery Tuesday.
Columbus plays the second of a three-game homestand, which opened with a 3-2 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues on Friday. The Blue Jackets haven't won consecutive games since Oct. 21-24.

Players to watch

Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber has eight points (four goals, four assists) during a six-game point streak. Extending it would give him the second -longest streak of his NHL career, following a nine-game streak from Dec. 31, 2010-Jan. 16, 2011.
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has scored a goal in three straight games, tying the Columbus record for goals in consecutive games by a defenseman, set by Seth Jones in 2017-18, Jack Johnson in 2014-15, Fedor Tyutin in 2008-09 and Bryan Berard in 2005-06.

They said it

"We know we're not getting to get them for a while so we have to focus on what's to come day to day." -- Canadiens defenseman Victor Mete on the losses of forwards Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron
"The pucks are starting to go my way. It's always nice to help the team win. That helps with your confidence." -- Blue Jackets forward Emil Bemstrom, who has four points (two goals, two assists) in his past four games

Canadiens projected lineup

Tomas Tatar -- Phillip Danault -- Brendan Gallagher
Max Domi -- Nick Suzuki -- Joel Armia
Artturi Lehkonen -- Jesperi Kotkaniemi -- Jordan Weal
Charles Hudon -- Nate Thompson -- Nick Cousins
Ben Chiarot -- Shea Weber
Victor Mete -- Jeff Petry
Brett Kulak -- Cale Fleury
Carey Price
Keith Kinkaid
Scratched: Mike Reilly, Christian Folin
Injured: Jonathan Drouin (wrist), Paul Byron (knee)

Blue Jackets projected lineup

Sonny Milano -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Emil Bemstrom
Alexandre Texier -- Riley Nash -- Cam Atkinson
Gustav Nyquist -- Boone Jenner -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Eric Robinson -- Alex Wennberg -- Josh Anderson
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
Vladislav Gavrikov -- David Savard
Ryan Murray -- Dean Kukan
Joonas Korpisalo
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched:Markus Hannikainen, Scott Harrington
Injured:Brandon Dubinsky (wrist), Markus Nutivaara (upper body), Kole Sherwood (oblique)
Suspended: Nick Foligno

Status report

Hudon was recalled from Laval of the American Hockey League on Monday. … Murray returns after missing one game with a lower body injury. He replaces Harrington. … Foligno will serve the final game of a three-game suspension for elbowing Colorado Avalanche forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare on Nov. 9.

Stat pack

Tatar has seven points (two goals, five assists) during a four-game point streak. … Bemstrom has four points (two goals, two assists) during a four-game point streak. Atkinson has an assist in four straight games.