Pace is a big part of how Montreal plays. Before Tuesday, the Canadiens' previous 4 games ended 5-4, 4-5, 5-4 and 4-2. They score plenty and they give up plenty. Then the Wild held them to 1 goal in a 2-1 shootout loss at the Bell Centre on Carey Price night. Jacob Fowler stopped 19 of 20 and kept Montreal's point streak alive at 11, but the attack that had been scoring 4 or 5 a night barely got anything going.
Montreal's injury list is longer, and it matters most on the back end. Mike Matheson (lower body) was expected to miss about 2 weeks as of Halloween, so he's somewhere around a return without one confirmed. Sam Montembeault is still on IR as day-to-day, and that's why Fowler has been carrying the crease. Ivan Demidov (foot) was skating again last week with a return to team practice possible soon. Don't expect him at TD Garden. Josh Anderson came back Tuesday after missing the Toronto game for personal reasons, and Jake Evans was a game-time call that night, so check the Habs' forward lines Thursday morning.
Here's where the game gets decided. Boston has been strangling teams lately, with 9 goals allowed across the 4-game streak. Montreal has 18-point upside but has given up 4 or more in 3 of its last 5. If the Bruins' depth holds up without Hagens and Fowler has to be great again, that's tough for Montreal. If the Canadiens' skill guys get it back into a track meet, Boston has to show it can win a 5-4 game, and it beat Chicago exactly that way. Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET.
