Samuel Montembeault will defend the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, while forward Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and defenseman Corey Schueneman will play their first career NHL game.
Montembeault will be off for the first time since November 26. He’s 1-4-1 with a 3.65 GAA and .897 save rate in eight outings this season.
The 25-year-old Quebecer will be in goal since Carey Price (knee) and Jake Allen (COVID-19) are not available.
The Canadian has nine players on the sidelines due to NHL protocol related to COVID-19. Seven other players are also on the sidelines with injuries.
The Habs will count on only four players who have a salary of over a million, forwards Jonathan Drouin and Brendan Gallagher, as well as defenders David Savard and Brett Kulak. Only six of the 20 players in uniform have at least 100 games of NHL experience.
“We have to make sure everyone is on the same page,” Drouin said. There are guys who will be in their first game. Everyone should be comfortable with the system, even if the game isn’t changing. ”
Harvey-Pinard will play to the left of Ryan Poehling and Cole Caufield. The Canadiens’ seventh-round pick in 2019, 201e in total, Harvey-Pinard has registered five goals and nine assists in 24 games with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League this season.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, PRESS ARCHIVES
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard will play his first career game with the NHL.
“It is certain that the circumstances are particular with COVID and the injured, but I do not see it like that, has the native of Jonquière, 22 years old. Regardless, tonight is a dream for me. I’ll give it my all. ”
For his part, Schueneman was never drafted into the NHL and he will make his debut at 26.
“It’s been a long journey, sometimes difficult, sometimes frustrating, but I’ve never stopped working,” said the man who has had two goals and five assists in 19 games with the Rocket this season.
“I’ve always dreamed of this day and I knew it would happen eventually,” added Schueneman, who is expected to play alongside Sami Niku.
The Canadian will be in his first game since Dec. 16, when he defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout. His next four games were postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks across the NHL.
In addition, the Canadian recalled defender Louie Belpedio in his reserve group. The 25-year-old American has four goals and as many assists in 24 games with the Rocket this season.
Belpedio has appeared in the NHL four times in his career, all with the Minnesota Wild. He collected two assists.
In the Lightning camp, Maxime Lagacé will be in net since goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brian Elliott are registered with the NHL protocol linked to COVID-19.
All-star forward Brayden Point will make a comeback. Point has been limited to 16 games this season and has not played since November 20 due to an upper body injury. He has seven goals and six assists this season.
Defenseman Sean Day will make his NHL debut.
Derek Lalonde will act as head coach in the absence of Jon Cooper, registered with the COVID-19 protocol of the circuit. Director of player development Jean-Philippe Côté will also be behind the bench.