Matheson has had a tough season so far, scoring just one goal with two assists in 25 games. Matheson played just 13:41 TOI on Tuesday and will be scratched in favour of Mark Pysyk on Thursday night. Coach Quenneville called it “not an easy thing to do," especially when you consider that Matheson has seven years left on a deal that carries a $4.875M AAV cap-hit.
Primeau allowed three goals on 35 shots in the Canadiens' 3-2 loss to the Avalanche. Last Thursday. It was a solid NHL debut for the 20-year-old, who will make his second career start Wednesday vs. Ottawa. The Senators have surprised a lot of people this season and have played well on the road lately, winning six of their last seven while scoring 3.43 goals per game.
Bowey was placed on waivers on Monday and will go to the Griffins after clearing on Tuesday afternoon. The 24-year-old has been in-and-out of the Red Wings lineup this season, posting eight points (1G / 7A) in 22 games but has struggled defensively and that has resulted in a minus-13 rating.
Price stopped 29 of 30 shots in the Canadiens' win in New York last Friday. Price snapped a six-game losing streak last Tuesday and has now won two straight while stopping 50 of the 53 shots (.943 SV%) that he has faced. Tonight he starts in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins have won five in a row while scoring 4.00 goals per game.
Price allowed two goals on 23 shots in the Canadiens win over the Islanders on Tuesday. Cayden Primeau got the front-end of the Thursday/Friday back-to-back, which leaves Price to face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Price has gone 4-3-2 with a 2.96 GAA and .915 SV% on the road this season and gave up six goals on 34 shots in a 6-5 loss in his first start against New York (Nov.23) this season.
Leskinen was an undrafted free agent that came to North America this year after spending the last three full seasons in Finland. The 22-year-old defenseman has recorded one goal and 11 assists (12 points) in 24 games with Laval so far this year.
Price allowed three goals on 34 shots in the Canadiens' loss in Boston on Sunday. Price played a lot better than in recent games but still lost his sixth straight game with a 4.90 GAA and .840 SV%. Those numbers are horrendous but tonight Montreal hosts an Islanders team that played in Detroit last night and are 2-2-1 while scoring just 1.60 goals per game in their last five games.
Primeau, 20, was a seventh-round pick of the Canadiens in 2017. After two years at Northeastern University, he turned pro this year and is 7-4-1 with a 2.58 GAA and .910 SV%. Primeau could make his NHL debut during the Habs' back-to-back on Thursday/Friday.
Price allowed five goals on 34 shots in the Canadiens' loss to the Devils on Thursday. Price is in the middle of a terrible stretch, losing five in a row (0-4-1) with a 5.34 GAA and .822 SV% and draws a terrible matchup in Boston on Sunday. He struggled in November last year, so maybe seeing the calendar flip to December will be enough for him to figure things out, but this matchup is for only the most desperate of owners.
Montembeault has struggled as the Panthers' backup this season, posting a 3.31 GAA and .889 SV% in five appearances. Florida sent him to the AHL to try and find his game and recalled Chris Driedger, who has an impressive .938 SV% in the AHL this year.
Price allowed two goals on 28 shots in the Canadiens win in Washington last Friday. Keith Kinkaid started Saturday, so Price gets the nod Tuesday in Columbus. Price has won three in a row while stopping 90 of the 96 shots (.938 SV%) that he's faced. One of those wins came against the Blue Jackets, who he'll face again tonight--he stopped 33 of 35 shots in a 3-2 shootout win over Columbus last Tuesday.
Byron suffered a knee injury in Washington on Friday and it will require surgery on Tuesday. Bryon will miss several weeks and will likely be moved to IR so Montreal can call-up reinforcements from Laval (AHL). Someone like Ryan Poehling is a logical replacement for Byron.
Byron will come out of the lineup due to a lower-body injury that he suffered last night in Washington. With Byron out, Jesperi Kotkaniemi will be making his return to the lineup.
