Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Blues (Game #37)

Match Up:

The Canadiens (21-12-3) are in St. Louis Thursday night to meet the Blues (22-7-3). The game starts at 8:00 and airs on RDS.

This is the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. When the teams met in Montreal, the Habs scored twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead over the Blues but couldn't hold on in the third and couldn't beat Jaroslav Halak in the shootout, ultimately losing 3-2.

What to Watch:

This match up features a wealth of defensemen looking to take home medals from the Sochi Olympics. PK Subban, Andrei Markov, Raphael Diaz and Alexei Emelin will square off against Canadians Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo, American Kevin Shattenkirk and Czech Roman Polak.

On top of that, the match should pit Jaro Halak and Carey Price against each other for a fourth time. Halak has earned the win in all three prior matches.

What's at Stake:

After coming back to defeat a slumping but respectable Phoenix Coyotes team, the Habs have a chance to prove themselves against another strong Western opponent. The Blues are second in the league in goals per game but the Habs are third in terms of goals against which puts them on even footing.

Who's Out:

Rene Bourque returned to action Saturday night, leaving just George Parros (concussion) and Davis Drewiske on the sidelines for the Habs.

The Blues are dealing with key injuries right now, captain David Backes (upper body) is out for at least a week, defensman Jordan Leopold (hand) is out as well. Also missing for the Blues is forward Ryan Reaves (hand) while Vladimir Sobotka (upper body) and Jaden Schwartz will be game time decisions.

What Else:

The St. Louis Blues announced a three-year extension for Alexander Steen on Wednesday, the team's leading points scorer with 36 in 33 games. Steen extension is worth 17.4 million for a cap hit of 5,8 million over the next 3 seasons. The 29-year old is 15 points shy of a career high, he scored 51 points including 20 goals in the 2010-2011 season.

The Question Mark:

How deep will the Canadiens need to make it in the playoffs for you to consider this season a success?

Let us know what you think by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter or just leave a comment.

Be sure to tune into the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show an hour before the puck drop and the Post Game Show 5 minutes after the final siren. Join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Posted in: Alex Pietrangelo,andrei markov,carey price,jaroslav halak,Jay Boumeester,montreal canadiens,PK Suuban,St-Louis Blues