Detroit @ Montreal preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 12, 2019 ) Detroit 1, Montreal 3

The Montreal Canadiens avoided a regulation loss despite giving up 13 goals during a season-opening, three-game road trip and begin their home slate against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. The Canadiens, who have won nine straight against the Original Six-rival Red Wings, have rallied from multi-goal deficits in each of their contests this campaign but dropped a 5-4 decision in overtime at Buffalo on Wednesday.

Joel Armia scored two goals and added an assist against Buffalo after being kept off the scoresheet in his first two games while former Hart Trophy winner Carey Price was rested and is expected to be in the crease for the home opener. The Canadiens outscored Detroit 21-7 while sweeping last season's four-game series and face a Red Wings team that is seeking more secondary scoring up front after falling 3-1 to Anaheim on Tuesday - a setback that followed two straight wins to open their campaign. Anthony Mantha (five goals), Tyler Bertuzzi (two) and Dylan Larkin have recorded eight of Detroit’s 10 goals and 17 of the roster's 28 points in the early going. “We have players that are capable in this room of scoring,” Red Wings left wing Justin Abdelkader told the Detroit Free Press. “It’s going to take different guys each night. I believe in our group in here, and we can get that done. We have to continue to work around those nets scoring goals.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, TSN2, RDS (Montreal)

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (2-1-0): Andreas Athanasiou returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing the first two games with an undisclosed injury and contributed an assist in 19 minutes, 11 seconds of ice time. “He’s a dangerous player - his speed, I think every team needs to watch, and they do watch, and you notice it frees up our line a little bit,” Larkin told reporters. “We are a dangerous team when he is in the lineup.” Defenseman Filip Hronek scored the team's lone goal against the Ducks after notching a pair of assists in Sunday’s victory over Dallas and has registered eight shots and a plus-1 rating in his first three contests.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (1-0-2): Jonathan Drouin struggled offensively at the end of last season but is off to a solid start with at least one point in each of his first three contests. “He’s found his jump,” coach Claude Julien told the Montreal Gazette of Drouin, who recorded 53 points last campaign. “He’s gone through some things, and lot of it is mental. He’s a local guy who had to learn how to handle the pressure that comes with playing in his home province. … He’s starting to find his game, and we hope he keeps playing that way.” Price turned aside 72-of-80 shots in two games before Keith Kinkaid made 34 saves in his team debut on Wednesday.

OVERTIME

1. Larkin, who finished last season with a team-high 73 points despite posting a minus-6 rating, is plus-5 in his first three games.

2. Montreal’s Jeff Petry leads the team with 14 shots and fellow D Shea Weber is tied for second with 11.

3. The Red Wings are just 1-for-12 on the power play and entered Wednesday ranked 29th in face-off percentage.

PREDICTION: Canadiens 5, Red Wings 2