Max Pacioretty is living up to his reputation for superhuman feats of physical recovery as the Habs’ sniper said that he will be ready to play tonight against the Ottawa Senators.

“I feel really good right now,” said Pacioretty in a locker room scrum after practice Saturday. “As soon as the hit happened I knew what it was. Last year in Carolina it was the same situation and I knew after a couple of days it could calm down and I feel really good right now.”

Coach Michel Therrien would not confirm whether Pacioretty, 26, who has 13 goals in 33 games would play.

Pacioretty was sent to hospital after being hit by Anaheim defenceman Clayton Stoner in the third period of the Habs 2-1 loss Thursday. 

Lars Eller is also expected to be back in the lineup after returning from an upper body injury, and Therrien has opted to keep Alex Galchenyuk playing centre while David Desharnais will be playing on the wing with Eller, and Parenteau. Desharnais hasn’t played on the wing since lining up alongside Scott Gomez in 2011.

Galchenyuk scored three goals while playing centre in a 4-1 victory over Carolina Tuesday after scoring just once in 15 games.

Speedy Swiss winger Sven Andrighetto, who notched two goals and one assist in his only four career NHL games, is making his return on the wing, as Eric Tangradi was sent back to Hamilton following Thursday's tilt against the Ducks.

The Senators have been on a hot streak since firing coach Paul MacLean, as they have gone 3-0-1 in their last four and beat the NHL-leading Anaheim Ducks 6-2 yesterday.

Robin Lehner might get the start in nets for the Senators over first-string Craig Andreson who made 32 saves against the Ducks in Ottawa Friday. Lehner lost 5-4 to the Habs in overtime last March 15.

Carey Price, who is 17-9-1 with a .923 save percentage and 2.32 goals against will start for the Canadiens.

Montreal (20-11-2) had a three game winning streak going until losing to Anaheim, a span which saw them outscore opponents 13-4.

Curtis Lazar will be absent for the Senators as the team announced that he would be loaned to the Canadian team for the world junior hockey championship. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who has impressed since being called up from Binghampton of the AHL, will play in his place.