9:06 pm
December 20

Canadiens @ Coyotes

Who will WIN this matchup?

Montreal Canadiens (17-13-5)

@ Arizona Coyotes (14-17-2)

 

Starting Goalies:

Carey Price (MON): Confirmed

Darcy Kuemper (ARI): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Montreal Canadiens: (+105)

Arizona Coyotes: (-125)

 

• The comforts of home did nothing to change the fortunes of the Arizona Coyotes, who began their three-game string at Gila River Arena with their sixth loss in seven overall contests. Arizona looks to get back in the win column when it continues the homestand Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. Home hasn’t been kind to the Coyotes of late, however, as they’ve lost three straight and seven of their last eight (1-6-1) on their own rink. Mario Kempe provided the only offense in Tuesday’s 3-1 setback against the New York Islanders, scoring his first goal of the season and third in 30 career NHL games.

• Montreal kicked off its year-ending six-game road trip with its second straight loss, a 2-1 defeat in Colorado on Wednesday. Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens, which was his team-leading 15th of the season and fourth in eight contests.

• Max Domi, who leads the team with 33 points, will be facing Arizona for the first time since being acquired in June. The 23-year-old trails Gallagher by one goal and is four away from matching the career high he set as a rookie with the Coyotes in 2015-16 but is mired in a five-game drought. Charles Hudon registered one shot in just under 9 1/2 minutes of ice time as he appeared in his 100th NHL game Wednesday after being a healthy scratch for the team’s previous nine contests.

• Alex Galchenyuk has gotten off to a slow start in his first season in the desert, registering three goals and 11 points in 23 games while also missing time due to injuries. The 24-year-old, who was acquired from Montreal for Domi, hopes to break out against the team with which he netted a career-high 30 tallies in 2015-16. Clayton Keller tops the team with 23 points and shares the lead in goals with eight – four game-winners – but has gone eight games without one.

• Thursday’s contest begins a stretch of three games in four days for the Coyotes.

• Montreal G Carey Price remains in search of his 300th career victory but may be rested after making 24 saves against the Avalanche.

• Arizona assigned G Adin Hill and RW Conor Garland to Tucson of the American Hockey League.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Montreal Canadiens
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