San Jose at Montreal

This is a tough spot for San Jose, 3,000 miles from home and mired in a big slump. They've lost six in a row and Logan Couture will be out of the Sharks' lineup for at least the next five games as he recovers from surgery to repair a bleeding artery in his right thigh. Couture was second on the Sharks in scoring last season with 67 points. The Sharks are 11-13 without him and 0-4 playing on two days rest. First-place Montreal is second in the NHL in goals scored, and fourth in goals allowed. The Canadiens are 13-6 when following a win and are 17-7 against a team with a losing record. Brian Flynn and Max Pacioretty scored in the first period and the Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, 3-1. The Canadiens matched a team record with 27 shots on Craig Anderson in the first period. The home team is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings with the Sharks just 1-4 at Montreal. Back the Canadiens.