All Habs GameDay: Friday September 23, 2011

Happy Birthday to: Canadiens defenseman Yannick Weber who turns 23 today! 

►Hockey tonight!: Pre-season Game #3: Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators

Scotiabank Place 7:30 pm.

Montreal Canadiens

Goaltenders: Carey Price and Nathan Lawson

Defencemen: Raphael Diaz, Hal Gill, Alex Henry, P.K. Subban, Jarred Tinordi, Yannick Weber, Alexei Yemelin
(one defenseman will not play)

Forwards: Alexander Avtsin, Michael Blunden, Erik Cole, Mathieu Darche, Philip Desimone, Gabriel Dumont, Andreas Engqvist, Brendan Gallagher, Scott Gomez, Andrei Kostitsyn, Max Pacioretty, Brock Trotter

►Lines from morning practise:

Montreal Canadiens

Forwards:
Pacioretty – Gomez – Gallagher
Cole – Engqvist – Kostitsyn
Darche – Dumont – Avtsin
Blunden – Desimone – Trotter

Defense:
Subban – Henry
Gill – Diaz
Fitzgerald – Yemelin
Ellis – Tinordi

Goal:
Price
Lawson

Andrei Kostitsyn will be manning a point on the power-play.

►Preview of October lines:

Practise on Thursday was two hours long with the first hour devoted to preparing for two games against the Senators. The above trios represent the lines we are likely to see on Friday night. The second hour of practise featured players and lines which we may be seeing on opening night against Toronto. Special teams configurations were also part of the practise.

Pacioretty – Gomez – Gionta
Cole – Plekanec – Cammalleri
Darche – Eller – Kostitsyn
Palushaj – Trotter – Gallagher

The fourth line includes players under consideration for the available roster spot(s). In the presser following practise, coach Jacques Martin confirmed that Andreas Engqvist is part of that list.

Defense pairings:
Spacek – Subban
Weber – Yemelin
Gorges – Beaulieu
Diaz – Woywitka

►Injury update:

Brendan Nash has had shoulder surgery.

David Desharnais has been added to the list with a lower-body injury suffered in Wednesday night’s game against Buffalo.

Scott Gomez was a full participant in morning practise.

Lars Eller was again wearing a no-contact jersey but seemed unhindered.  Eller was practising slapshots with a full windup taking passes from assistant coach Randy Cunneyworth.

P.K. Subban continues to suffer with back issues and will not play in Friday night’s game.