TBL@MTL: What you need to know

MONTREAL - Revenge is in the air for the Canadiens who return home from a three-game road trip to face the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second time in as many games.

TICKETS: Tampa Bay @ Montreal
Here's what you need to know heading into the game:
1. Montreal is looking to split their mini two-game series with Tampa Bay (42-23-6). On Saturday night, the teams met at Amalie Arena in what resulted in a 5-3 win for the home team. The Canadiens led after two periods, but a three-goal final frame was the difference for the Lightning, who picked up a third consecutive win over their division rivals this season. Mike Hoffman, Denis Gurianov and Jesse Ylonen were the Montreal goalscorers. Nick Suzuki added two assists in the loss. The Bolts will look to slow down a red-hot Habs offense who are averaging 4.5 goals for per game in their previous four outings.

2. Following the Bolts' triumph of the Habs on Saturday, they welcomed the Devils to town for a third matchup between the two sides in less than a week. Contrary to the first two meetings, it was the Devils who got the best of the Lightning on Sunday. New Jersey scored five unanswered goals for the come-from-behind victory, including a trio from Jesper Bratt who was credited with a hat-trick on the night. Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov registered his 100th point of the season in the losing effort. He leads the team in that domain, ahead of Brayden Point (81) and Steven Stamkos (71). Corey Perry, a member of the Canadiens' Stanley Cup finalist team in 2020-21, has registered 24 points in 70 games for Tampa this year.
3. Gurianov has the hot hand for the Canadiens. The 25-year-old has found the back of the net four times in his last five games, bringing his total to five goals in 11 outings since debuting with the Habs. Prior to the trade that saw Evgenii Dadonov sent the other way, Gurianov had only two goals in 43 games with the Dallas Stars. The newly acquired forward's transition into the Canadiens' lineup has appeared seamless, and he'll look to continue providing an offensive boost for his new club against the Lightning.

For his part, Ylonen has quietly found his scoring touch at the NHL level. The Finnish forward has netted three goals in his last four games, upping his season total to five. Ylonen, who has split time between the Canadiens and Laval Rocket this season, has posted 12 points in 29 games with the Habs this year.
4. The last time the Canadiens played consecutive games against the same team in the regular season was during the pandemic-riddled 2020-21 campaign. As part of the all-Canadian division that year, the Habs played in a two or three-game series 20 times. In the second leg of any multiple-game series against the same opponent that season, the Canadiens held a 9-7-4 record.
5. The Canadiens will celebrate the Goal is Green Night in conjunction with tonight's game. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. For tickets to the game, click
here
.
Catch all the action on TSN2 and RDS, or tune in on the radio on TSN 690 and 98,5 fm.