Columbus Blue Jackets (23-41-7, eighth in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (28-38-6, eighth in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NHL LINE: Canadiens -121, Blue Jackets +101; over/under is 6
BOTTOM LINE: The Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Montreal Canadiens after the Blue Jackets took down the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime.
Montreal is 28-38-6 overall and 15-17-3 at home. The Canadiens rank first in league play serving 11.9 penalty minutes per game.
Columbus has a 23-41-7 record overall and a 9-21-5 record on the road. The Blue Jackets have a -83 scoring differential, with 193 total goals scored and 276 allowed.
The matchup Saturday is the third meeting between these teams this season. The Blue Jackets won 6-4 in the previous matchup.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has 22 goals and 35 assists for the Canadiens. Michael Matheson has scored four goals and added three assists over the past 10 games.
Johnny Gaudreau has 18 goals and 49 assists for the Blue Jackets. Boone Jenner has six goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 2-6-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.7 assists, 3.9 penalties and 11.1 penalty minutes while giving up 4.3 goals per game.
Blue Jackets: 3-6-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.6 assists, 2.4 penalties and 4.8 penalty minutes while giving up 4.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Christian Dvorak: out for season (lower body), Kaiden Guhle: out for season (lower body), Sean Monahan: out (foot), Josh Anderson: out (lower body), Carey Price: out (knee), Juraj Slafkovsky: out (lower-body), Arber Xhekaj: out for season (upper-body), Jesse Ylonen: day to day (illness), Paul Byron: out (hip), Cole Caufield: out for season (shoulder), Joel Armia: day to day (illness), Jordan Harris: day to day (lower body).
Blue Jackets: Mathieu Olivier: day to day (undisclosed), Zach Werenski: out (shoulder/labrum), Jake Bean: out (shoulder), Sean Kuraly: out (oblique), Justin Danforth: out (shoulder), Nick Blankenburg: day to day (undisclosed), Patrik Laine: out (triceps), Elvis Merzlikins: out (personal), Erik Gudbranson: day to day (upper body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
