Lines

Guillaume Latendresse
Seat in the press box?

Guillaume Latendresse, struggling with just two shots on goal through four games this season, did not practise this morning with the Canadiens' four lines, giving rise to speculation that he will be a healthy scratch tomorrow night vs. the Florida Panthers.

Expected lines:

Higgins-Koivu-Ryder
Smolinski-Plekanec-Kovalev
Kostitsyn-Grabovski-Kostopoulos
Bégin-Chipchura-Dandenault

Cristobal Huet gets the call in nets. No changes are expected on defence.

Carey Price: First NHL start comes vs. Penguins

Canadiens head coach Guy Carbonneau will let heralded goalie Carey Price show what he can do against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night on the road.

Price gets the start after No. 1 Cristobal Huet played the Canadiens' first two games, an overtime win and OT loss. Also, Kyle Chipchura gets his first taste of action and defenceman Josh Gorges makes his season debut, with Mikhail Grabovski and rearguard Patrice Brisebois pulling up seats in the Pittsburgh press box.

Up front:
Chris Higgins-Saku Koivu-Michael Ryder
Alex Kovalev-Tomas Plekanec-Andrei Kostitsyn
Guillaume Latendresse-Bryan Smolinski-Tom Kostopoulos
Steve Bégin-Kyle Chipchura-Mathieu Dandenault

On defence (subject to change):
Andrei Markov-Mike Komisarek
Josh Gorges-Roman Hamrlik
Francis Bouillon-Mark Streit

Here are two short audio clips gathered today by The Gazette's Pat Hickey of Tomas Plekanec and Carey Price, who says his NHL debut will be "just another game."

The Canadiens cooled their heels yesterday in Toronto, awaiting Saturday's Air Canada Centre game against the Maple Leafs. Their hosts will be in an ugly mood, having lost back-to-back game to the Ottawa Senators – including 3-2 last night in the nation's capital.

The Gazette's Pat Hickey filed this report on the Habs' strong power play in Wednesday's victorious opener in Raleigh vs. the Carolina Hurricanes, and how using all four lines helped coach Guy Carbonneau in the season's first contest.

The Gazette Pat Hickey has sent along tonight's starting lineup for the season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes.

First line: Higggins, Koivu, Ryder
Second line: Kovalev, Grabovski, Kostitsyn
Third line: Latendresse, Plekanek, Kostopoulos
Fourth line: Begin, Smolinski, Dandenault

First defence: Markov, Komisarek
Second defence: Brisebois, Hamrlik
Third defence: Bouillon, Streit.

Scratches: Gorges, Chipchura, Murray.