Game 5 - Canadiens vs Bruins

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Match Up

After a week on the road, the Canadiens (3-1-0) will finally play their home opener Thursday night when they host the Bruins (2-3-0). The game is set to start at 7:30 and the Habs' home opener will be shown on RDS, Sportsnet 360, NESN and NHLNetwork-US.

This is the first of four matches between the Canadiens and Bruins. They Habs won three of four meetings during the regular season last year and beat the Bruins in the second round of the playoffs, winning Game 7 in Boston. At the end of the series, Milan Lucic had a few choice words for Dale Weise and Alexei Emelin.

Where we left off

 

What to Watch

The Canadiens have yet to score their first power play goal of the season and not that's it been for a lack of opportunity. The team has managed just 13 power play shots while going 0-for-14 with the man advantage.

Carey Price has had a slow start to the year despite a 2-1-0 record. He's given up three goals or more in each of his first three starts, including four in two periods on Monday against the Lightning.

While the Canadiens have struggled to score on the power play, the Bruins have struggled scoring altogether with just six goals in five games. Reilly Smith has two goals playing alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, he's the team's only multiple goal scorer. The Bruins responded to their lethargic start by signing Simon Gagne to a one-year deal worth $600,000.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens were handed their first loss of the season by the team they knocked out of the first round of the Playoffs last spring, they'll be trying to avoid losing their second game to their second round victims.

It feels a bit strange that the Habs have not yet played a home game with the season more than a week old, but the 2014-2015 Montreal Canadiens will be greeting their faithful for the first time on Thursday.

Who's Out

Marc Bergevin sent Michael Bournival down to the Bulldogs prior to the weekend, but indicated he'd be brought back to the team before next week. Alexei Emelin has missed the last two games with an upper body injury, but could be ready for action on Thursday.

The Bruins are missing Gregory Campbell (upper body), he has yet to play a game for the Bruins this season.

What Else

On Monday, Tomas Plekanec was named the NHL's First Star of the week for the first week of the season, it was the first time of his career he was named to the three stars of the week. Last season, Lars Eller was the league's Second Star in the first week of play. Only Carey Price earned First Star of the week honors among Canadiens players last year. Max Pacioretty earned Second and Third Star nods during the season.

The Question Mark

With the way these two teams ended last season, how should Michel Therrien set his line-up for Thursday's game?

Tonight's Show

Join myself, Rob Elbaz, along with Kosta Papoulias and Corey Collard for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30. Jimmy Murphy from Sirius XM and Web Sports Media's Top Shelf Radio will join us to break down the game from the Bruins perspective.

Posted in: alexei emelin,brad marchand,carey price,Dale Weise,max pacioretty,milan lucic,patrice bergeron,Tomas Plekanec