Montreal @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 7, 2020 ) Montreal 3, Detroit 4

The Detroit Red Wings own the worst record in the NHL but the Montreal Canadiens also are sinking quickly in the Atlantic Division, dimming their hopes of ending a two-year postseason drought. With both clubs mired in four-game losing streaks, the Canadiens aim to get back on track when they open a three-game road trip at the Red Wings on Tuesday night.

Montreal coach Claude Julien was irate with the officiating in his team's latest loss, a 4-3 overtime setback to Dallas on Saturday night in which the Canadiens squandered an early three-goal cushion. "Some people need to be held accountable after this game. We had to beat two teams tonight," Julien said after the game, remarks that earned him a $10,000 fine from the NHL on Monday. Detroit has been outscored 16-5 during its four-game slide and owns a league-low 14 wins, but three of them have come at the expense of Montreal. "We'll see what we've got to get better at," coach Jeff Blashill said after his team was limited to one goal for the third straight game in Sunday's 5-1 loss at Pittsburgh. "We'll see what we did well and try to win a game on Tuesday."

TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET. TV: FS Detroit, RDS, TSN2

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (27-26-8): Montreal announced last week that captain Shea Weber would be sidelined for four to six weeks but the hulking defenseman returned to practice Monday and could be in the lineup against the Red Wings. Weber said he is not at 100 percent but felt good to go after doctors assured him that he could not do any further damage to his left ankle. Forward Jonathan Drouin is expected to play after sitting out Saturday's game and fellow forward Paul Byron, out since mid-November, also has a chance to play Tuesday.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (14-43-4): Detroit has dropped 14 of its last 16 (2-13-1) and mustered only five goals during its current four-game slide, despite notching the opening tally in weekend losses at Boston (4-1) and Pittsburgh (5-1). “We are in a stretch right now where we have to find a way out of this, find a way as a team to generate more offensively,” center Dylan Larkin said after Sunday's loss. The team leader with 25 assists and 40 points, Larkin is stuck in an offensive funk and has been held off the scoresheet in four consecutive games.

OVERTIME

1. Canadiens F Brendan Gallagher (upper body) is questionable for Tuesday's matchup.

2. Red Wings G Jonathan Bernier has permitted six goals in winning all three starts versus Montreal this season.

3. The Canadiens assigned F Jake Evans and D Christian Folin to Laval of the American Hockey League.

PREDICTION: Canadiens 3, Red Wings 2