Buffalo (20-26-4) coach Dan Bylsma confirmed that the break proved timely.
"We got some health back, yes," Bylsma said. "Both Nic and Sam needed the five or six days to get back to full health. Josh was kind of dealing with some bumps and bruises. It's the first time in a while we've gotten close to having a full lineup in."
The Sabres have lost 212 man-games to injury, second in the NHL to the Edmonton Oilers, according to mangameslost.com.
Bylsma said he expects Reinhart's return will benefit center Ryan O'Reilly, who scored a goal while playing for the Atlantic Division at the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Nashville on Sunday.
"I think getting Sam back there will be a big help to Ryan's line and for Sam. Maybe surprisingly enough where he's been his best since the start of the season has been at the net front," Bylsma said. "He's been our best net-front guy and that shows up largely on the power play and where he can get back in there and get back into that area for us and be effective."
Montreal (24-23-4) lost 4-2 at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday and did not hold a morning skate. The Canadiens have lost 20 of 25 games (5-19-1) since starting 19-4-3.
Gorges, who played for Montreal from 2006-14, said he keeps in touch with his former teammates but they don't spend any time talking about hockey.
"I don't put any thought into it, good or bad," Gorges said. "I'm here with Buffalo and we've got our own things that we've got to worry about. We're trying to figure out how to win games ourselves. You people are asking me how I feel about Montreal; we're behind Montreal. We've got things that we have to worry about so I'm not looking at them or any other team. We've got enough things that we've got to worry about and I'm focused on my own group."
Here are the projected lineups:
SABRES
Jamie McGinn - Ryan O'Reilly - Sam Reinhart
Marcus Foligno - Jack Eichel - Zemgus Girgensons
Evander Kane - Johan Larsson - Brian Gionta
Matt Moulson - David Legwand - Nicolas Deslauriers
Josh Gorges - Rasmus Ristolainen
Mark Pysyk - Zach Bogosian
Cody Franson - Jake McCabe
Robin Lehner
Chad Johnson
Injured: Tyler Ennis (upper body), Cody McCormick (blood clots)
Scratched: Mike Weber, Carlo Colaiacovo
CANADIENS
Alex Galchenyuk - Tomas Plekanec - Brendan Gallagher
Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Dale Weise
Tomas Fleischmann - Lars Eller - Devante Smith-Pelly
Sven Andrighetto - Torrey Mitchell - Brian Flynn
Andrei Markov - P.K. Subban
Nathan Beaulieu - Jeff Petry
Alexei Emelin - Tom Gilbert
Mike Condon
Ben Scrivens
Injured: Carey Price (lower body), Paul Byron (lower body), Daniel Carr (lower body), Lucas Lessio (lower body)
Scratched: Mark Barberio, Greg Pateryn
Status report: Lessio is out after he sustained a lower-body injury in the third period Tuesday after a hit by the Flyers' Radko Gudas. Andrighetto will play after being a healthy scratch Tuesday. … Condon will play for the second straight game after he made 32 saves Tuesday.
