Habster:

I’m a little surprised Tom Kostopoulos isn’t playing as he had a very good game against the Blackhawks (they also need a physical presence in the lineup). I hope Bryan Smolinski can improve the face-off deficiencies the Habs have had the last few games.
Here’s the line combinations for tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins:

Montreal:

FORWARDS:

Kovalev/Plekanec/A. Kostitsyn

Latendresse/Koivu/S. Kostitsyn

Higgins/Lapierre/Ryder

Dandenault/Smolinski/Streit

DEFENSE:

Komisarek/Markov

Hamrlik/Brisebois

Gorges/Bouillon

GOAL: Huet

PRESS BOX: Kostopoulos, Locke, Begin (injured)

Boston Bruins:

Boston Globe (Pivotal game):

Julien said there’s a good chance that Aaron Ward, out the last eight games with a broken left foot, could return tonight. Ward skated in yesterday’s puckless session and participated in today’s morning skate.

* Glen Murray’s return is indefinite, according to Julien. Murray (hip flexor strain) didn’t skate today or yesterday.

* Tim Thomas will start tonight.

* P.J. Axelsson, Marc Savard, Marco Sturm, Chuck Kobasew, Glen Metropolit, and Peter Schaefer took this morning off.

Tonight’s expected lineup, with Ward back in the mix:

Forwards:

Axelsson-Savard-Kessel

Sturm-Krejci-Kobasew

Lucic-Metropolit-Schaefer

Reich-Nokelainen-Thornton

Defense:

Chara-Wideman

Stuart-Ference

Hnidy-Ward

Goal: Thomas