MONTREAL -- Once more unto the breach Habs.
For a second time, the Montreal Canadiens have a chance to head Henry V's battle cry and extend their season for one more game... only this time it's different.
WHAT'S THAT NOISE?
In case you haven't felt the palpable energy in the city and on social media, for the first time since March 10, 2020, the Canadiens will be playing for more than banners stretched across seats in the arena and viewers at home waiting out another curfew.
Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2,500 fans who shelled out up to $7,000 reportedly will get to see Cole Caufield and the rest of the Habs in the flesh for the first time.
"It's situations like this where you get to do something that people won't forget," said Habs forward Corey Perry. "It's just hockey, but it's exciting. We have an opportunity to force another game and we have to give it our all."
Toronto leads the series 3-2 after Nick Suzuki sniped an overtime winner on Thursday's game to avoid elimination and set up the first Canadian NHL game with fans.
American rinks have had bigger crowds already.
KULAK BACK
Defencemen Brett Kulak is back in the lineup for Saturday's game in place of injured Jon Merrill.
Kulak was left out of Thursday's game, while Erik Gustafsson played in his first game of the series.
Merrill was used for 9:18 in the game and had a minus-1 rating.
Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme said Merrill finished the game with an injury and added that Merrill will be out for about ten days.
Forward Jake Evans joined his teammates on the ice in Brossard on Saturday morning after going down in the first game of the series.
Ducharme said the forward situation will be re-evaluated before the game and that Evans could possibly be inserted into the lineup.
LEAFS LOOK TO AVOID LONG LOSING RUN
For the Maple Leafs, the team is looking to win a first series since 2004, and a first series against the Habs since 1967 when they won their last Stanley Cup.
Since the spring of 2013, the Maple Leafs are 0-6 when given the opportunity to win a series.
Forward Nick Foligno could be back in the lineup after sitting out the last three games with an injury. Adam Brooks will be left out if that is the case. A decision will be made prior to the game, said head coach Sheldon Keefe.
On defence, Travis Dermott will replace Rasmus Sandin. Dermott also took Sandin's place in game four of the series.
-- with files from The Canadian Press.