Canadiens add Xhekaj, Pearson, Kovacevic to lineup for Senators game

January 23, 2024 - 12:49pm

Montreal head coach Martin St. Louis is confident "we're not a 15 goals-against team," despite the Canadiens last two rough performances, and knows they have to take the lumps and get back to work.

The Montreal Canadiens will be adding three players back into the lineup when they host the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night.

Defencemen Arber Xhekaj and Johnathan Kovacevic, as well as veteran winger Tanner Pearson will return to the lineup. Defenceman Josh Harris and forward Jesse Ylonen will sit and Jake Allen will start in goal.

Xhekaj, 22, was recalled to the Canadiens on Monday after a 17-game stint in the AHL. Justin Barron was assigned to Laval in a corresponding move. The second-year Xhekaj had three points and 47 penalty minutes in 17 NHL games this season but had 11 points in 17 AHL games after he was assigned to Laval in December.

Kovacevic has appeared in 38 games this season but was out of the lineup for each of the three games on the Canadiens' road trip last week.

Pearson will be playing his first game since Dec. 9 as he recovered from an upper-body injury. He has four goals and eight points in 27 games this season.

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