Canadiens at Blues preview

CANADIENS (3-2-2) at BLUES (3-1-3)
3 p.m. ET; FS-MW, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV

The defending Stanley Cup champions are 0-1-2 in their past three games after opening the season 3-0-1. The Blues had a two-goal lead in each of their past two losses.
Goalie Jake Allen is expected make his second start this season for St. Louis. He made 25 saves in a 6-4 win at the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 10.
The Canadiens are 2-1-0 in their past three games after beginning the season 1-1-2.
It will be the second game between the teams this season after Montreal won 6-3 on Oct. 12, St. Louis' lone regulation loss.

Players to watch

Canadiens goalie Carey Price is one win from passing Sean Burke (324) for 27th in NHL history.
Blues center Brayden Schenn's five-game goal streak ended Thursday, but he has eight points (five goals, three assists) during a six-game point streak.

They said it

"When you play the Stanley Cup champions, they're always concerned that they're going to be ready, especially at home. ... We have to understand that it's going to be a tough challenge, and we have to be at our best." -- Canadiens coach Claude Julien
"We have to come out and have more energy than we had in Montreal. We played a soft game against Montreal in Montreal." -- Blues coach Craig Berube

Canadiens projected lineup

Tomas Tatar -- Phillip Danault -- Brendan Gallagher
Artturi Lehkonen -- Max Domi -- Paul Byron
Jonathan Drouin -- Jesperi Kotkaniemi -- Joel Armia
Nick Cousins -- Nate Thompson - Nick Suzuki
Victor Mete -- Shea Weber
Brett Kulak -- Jeff Petry
Ben Chiarot -- Cale Fleury
Carey Price
Keith Kinkaid
Scratched: Jordan Weal, Mike Reilly, Christian Folin
Injured: None

Blues projected lineup

Jaden Schwartz -- Brayden Schenn -- Vladimir Tarasenko
Sammy Blais -- Ryan O'Reilly -- David Perron
Robby Fabbri -- Tyler Bozak -- Alexander Steen
Ivan Barbashev -- Oskar Sundqvist -- Robert Thomas
Colton Parayko -- Alex Pietrangelo
Jay Bouwmeester -- Robert Bortuzzo
Vince Dunn -- Justin Faulk
Jake Allen
Jordan Binnington
Scratched:Zach Sanford, Mackenzie MacEachern
Injured:Carl Gunnarsson (lower body)

Status report

Julien would not confirm a starting goalie for Saturday but said Price and Kinkaid will split games against the Blues and at the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. ... Gunnarsson did not practice Friday after being injured in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. ... It will be the first time since Jan. 3 that Parayko and Bouwmeester will be split up when each is in the lineup, a span of 78 games, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Stat pack

Drouin has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past seven games. ... Domi has five points (two goals, three assists) in a four-game point streak. … Gallagher is two points shy of 300 in the NHL. ... Tarasenko has four points (two goals, two assists) in a three-game point streak.