Sliding Canadiens return home to take on Panthers

Hockey Betting Lines

03/25/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to avoid their first four- game losing streak in over three months tonight at the Bell Centre, where they take on a Florida Panthers team that will try to win its third straight.

The Canadiens' current skid comes on the heels of a six-game win streak, but they have still been able to pick up some points thanks to a pair of shootout setbacks on the slide. Last night's 3-2 extra-session loss to Buffalo moved Montreal a point past Philadelphia for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference with eight games to play, one less than the Flyers.

Though they did escape with a point last night, the Habs probably feel as though they should have had two. They led 2-0 late in the game before the Sabres scored twice in the final two minutes of the third period to force overtime. Buffalo then netted a pair of shootout goals on Carey Price, who had turned away 40-of-42 shots faced in regulation and overtime.

"Carey gave us a strong game, and you'd like to win that game, but the penalties made it difficult for us," Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin told NHL.com. "What you've got to learn from that is the penalties cost us."

Andrei Kostitsyn scored twice to end a 13-game goal drought for the Canadiens, who haven't lost four straight since a five-game slide from Dec. 10-17.

Montreal, which begins a three-game homestand tonight, lost despite the return of both Michael Cammalleri and Marc-Andre Bergeron to the lineup from knee injuries.

Price was making his first start in seven games and is 2-2-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average lifetime versus the Panthers. However, Jaroslav Halak could return to the net tonight instead. Halak has started all three of Montreal's games versus Florida this season and gone 2-1-0 with a 2.01 GAA, including a 38-save shutout when the clubs met in Montreal on Jan. 7.

The Habs have won seven of their last nine versus the Panthers overall, including three straight at home.

Florida will look to extend its two-game win streak this evening after beginning a three-game road trip on Tuesday with a 4-1 triumph at Toronto. Scott Clemmensen made a season-high 42 saves, falling 2:20 shy of his first shutout of the season.

"I thought we played a really solid road game," defenseman Bryan McCabe said. "We got some great goaltending and a big two points."

Panthers forward David Booth, who missed 45 games this season with a concussion suffered in late October, scored twice for the first time in 2009-10 to give him eight goals for the season. He netted 31 goals last season, but has four in his last four games.

Tomas Vokoun is expected to return to the net tonight for the Panthers after sitting out the last two games. He is 4-6-2 with a tie and 2.57 GAA lifetime versus the Canadiens.

The Panthers are seven points back of the Boston Bruins for the eighth spot in the East with 10 games to play.

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