The Habs hope to exact some revenge in their final pre-season game Thursday at 7:30 p.m., as they host the Ottawa Senators, icing a veteran lineup against a relatively-inexperienced Senators selection.
Last night a team made largely of young Habs hopefuls lost 5-2 to a more established Senators squad in Kanata, Ontario.
The lines expected to play tonight at the Bell Centre are: Pacioretty-Desharnais-Brière, Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta, Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher and Bournival-White-Moen.
It will be Captain Brian Gionta’s first game in the pre-season this year after rehabbing from his second bicep-related injury.
On defence, young Nathan Beaulieu will see some more action after recuperating from a shoulder ailment earlier in camp.
Josh Gorges, Francis Bouillon, Raphael Diaz, P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov will also start on defence.
That Canadiens also announced more cuts as the following players were sent to Hamilton: Christian Thomas, Michael Blunden, Martin St.Pierre, Nick Tarnasky, Patrick Holland, Magnus Nygren, Darren Dietz and Greg Pateryn.
Dietz had already been sent down in an earlier wave of cuts but was brought back up due to injuries.
Blunden, Tarnasky and St-Pierre need to clear waivers before reporting to the Bulldogs.
The Senators lineup Thursday is expected to consist of Stone-Smith-Conacher, Puempel-Zibanejad-Hoffman, Dziurzynski-Grant-Robinson, Kassian-O'Brien-Lazar while Claesson-Borowiecki, Cowen-Wideman and Sdao-Ceci patrol the defence.
Craig Anderson and Carey Price are expected to start in nets for Sens and Habs.
