Playing just their third game in nine days, the Montreal Canadiens would have had a good excuse for a flat start versus the Colorado Avalanche; a team that had been playing well in a bid to get back into the playoff race in the tightly contested Central Division.
The layoff was even more pronounced for a couple of Habs. Greg Pateryn saw his first NHL action of the season after a three-game conditioning stint in the AHL last week, while Alexander Semin drew back into the lineup after a seven-game absence, slotting back into his original spot on Alex Galchenyuk's right wing.