Canadiens at Penguins preview

CANADIENS (26-35-12) at PENGUINS (41-27-5)
7 p.m. ET; SN, ATTSN-PT, RDS, NHL.TV

Price backed up Antti Niemi in a 2-0 home loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday after missing 13 games with a concussion. He last played Feb. 20, when he took a shot off his helmet from Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.
The Penguins lost 4-1 at the New York Islanders on Tuesday and are second in the Metropolitan Division, four points behind the first-place Washington Capitals. The Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets each have 87 points, but Pittsburgh has played one fewer game.
Penguins goalie Matt Murray could start for the second straight night after missing nine games with a concussion sustained during practice on Feb. 26. He made 36 saves in his return Tuesday.
The Canadiens are 18 points behind the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Players to watch

Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his past 11 games.
Penguins center Sidney Crosby has 41 points (nine goals, 32 assists) in his past 31 games. He needs one assist to reach 700 in his NHL career.

They said it

"[Price] is 100 percent. He feels great. We wouldn't put him in if he wasn't." -- Canadiens coach Claude Julien
"I just try to play my best and kind of get better as I go." -- Penguins goalie Matt Murray

Canadiens projected lineup

Paul Byron -- Jonathan Drouin -- Brendan Gallagher
Alex Galchenyuk -- Jacob de la Rose -- Artturi Lehkonen
Daniel Carr -- Logan Shaw -- Nikita Scherbak
Nicolas Deslauriers -- Michael McCarron -- Charles Hudon
Mike Reilly -- Jeff Petry
Karl Alzner -- Noah Juulsen
Jordie Benn -- Brett Lernout
Carey Price
Antti Niemi
Scratched: Byron Froese
Injured: Ales Hemsky (concussion-like symptoms), Max Pacioretty (knee), Victor Mete (finger), David Schlemko (upper body), Rinat Valiev (lower body), Phillip Danault (upper body), Andrew Shaw (upper body)

Penguins projected lineup

Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust
Carl Hagelin -- Evgeni Malkin -- Patric Hornqvist
Conor Sheary -- Derick Brassard -- Phil Kessel
Tom Kuhnhackl -- Riley Sheahan -- Josh Jooris
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Jamie Oleksiak -- Justin Schultz
Olli Maatta -- Chad Ruhwedel
Matt Murray
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Matt Hunwick
Injured: Zach Aston-Reese (upper body), Dominik Simon (lower body), Carter Rowney (upper body)

Status report

Galchenyuk (hand) will be a game-time decision. He participated in the optional morning skate. … Aston-Reese has not joined the Penguins for practice, so he is likely unavailable.

Stat pack

The Canadiens are 1-3-2 in their past six games against the Penguins, including 0-2-1 in their past three. … Pittsburgh is 26-8-1 at home. The 26 wins are tied for the sixth-highest single-season total in team history.