(SportsNetwork.com) - While the Vancouver Canucks are looking to end a lengthy road trip on a positive note, the Montreal Canadiens hope a return home can get them on track.
The Canucks close out a seven-game swing versus the sliding Canadiens on Tuesday night at Bell Centre.
Vancouver is 3-2-1 on its road trip, but has lost the last two and is coming off a 4-3 overtime setback to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. The Canucks scored the game's first three goals, but the Sens tied the contest before the end of the second period and then got the winner 1:21 into overtime.
Radim Vrbata had a goal and an assist, while Brad Richardson and Kevin Bieksa also scored for Vancouver, which got 41 saves from backup goaltender Eddie Lack.
"(Lack) played so well," Vancouver head coach Willie Desjardins said. "That gave us a chance, but we couldn't do it."
Vrbata remained hot with six goals and 10 points in his last 10 games.
Ryan Miller figures to start the finale for the Canucks and was pulled after 26 minutes of work in a 5-2 loss to Toronto on Saturday. He is 26-11-6 with a 2.34 goals against average and .922 save percentage in his career versus the Canadiens.
Tuesday marks the first of five straight at home for the Canadiens, who lost the final three of a four-game road trip and have dropped six of their past seven overall. Montreal has been held to one goal or fewer in four of those games.
Carey Price made 25 saves in a 4-1 loss to Dallas on Saturday to conclude the road trip. Rookie forward Sven Andrighetto had the lone goal, lighting the lamp in his NHL debut on a backhander from in close 2:21 into the third period.
"I saw an opening and just put it in," said Andrighetto. "Of course it's really nice that I was able to score, but it would've been a lot better if we won the game."
Already without center Lars Eller due to an upper-body injury suffered in Friday's loss to Chicago, defenseman Mike Weaver sustained a concussion versus the Stars. Neither player practiced on Monday nor are expected to play tonight, while defenseman Bryan Allen did not skate on Monday due to the flu.
Winger Michael Bournival, however, was recalled from his conditioning stint on Sunday and could slot into the lineup tonight. He missed 15 games due to a shoulder injury.
The Canadiens have won seven of their last 10 versus the Canucks, but had a three-game series winning streak halted with a 3-2 overtime loss in Vancouver on Oct. 30.
Miller made 23 saves and Daniel Sedin had the winning goal at 2:45 of OT, taking a feed from Henrik Sedin while on the power play.
Price made 27 saves, falling to 5-1-2 in his career versus the Canucks with a 2.34 GAA and .933 save percentage.
Montreal has still won seven of the past 10 meetings and is 4-0-1 in the last five encounters at home.
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