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Blackhawks vs. Canadiens preview: Anisimov back in; Danault, Shaw return to Chicago

Artem Anisimov will be back in the lineup when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night at the United Center.

Anisimov, 28, missed Friday’s game with an upper-body injury he suffered last Wednesday in St. Louis. The Russian forward is tied for the team lead with Marian Hossa in goals (eight) and Patrick Kane in points (17).

Chicago (10-3-2) welcomes back former teammates Phillip Danault and Andrew Shaw. Danault, a promising prospect, was traded to Montreal on Feb. 26, along with Chicago’s 2018 second-round pick in exchange for forwards Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann. On July 5, Danault signed a two-year contract with Montreal.

Shaw spent five seasons with the Hawks before being dealt to Montreal for two second-round picks June 24, and signed a six-year extension worth $23.4 million four days later. Both players are coming off strong performances in Montreal’s 5-0 home victory over Detroit on Saturday. Shaw tallied a goal and two assists and Danault had a goal and an assist.

Ryan Hartman will have a big opportunity as he’ll start on the top line alongside Kane and Jonathan Toews. The 22-year-old skated with Kane and Toews in the third period of Friday’s game but has yet to start in the role. He has two goals and an assist in 11 games this season.

Corey Crawford will start in net for the Hawks. Crawford is 5-0-2 with a 1.42 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and a shutout shutouts against his hometown team. Chicago hasn’t been kind to Montreal, who haven’t won at the United Center since Feb. 27, 2002.

Chicago native Al Montoya is expected to start for Montreal (13-1-1) in place of perennial Vezina Trophy candidate Carey Price, who shut out Detroit on Saturday in Montreal for the Canadiens 10th consecutive home game to start the season. However, Montreal is 3-1-1 on the road this season. Montoya didn’t fair well in his last outing, allowing 10 goals in a loss Nov. 4 in Columbus. He’s 1-1-1 against Chicago, with a 2.92 GAA.

Lineups

Blackhawks

Forwards

Ryan Hartman — Jonathan Toews — Patrick Kane
Artemi Panarin — Artem Anisimov — Marian Hossa
Vinnie Hinstroza — Dennis Rasmussen — Nick Schmaltz
Andrew Desjardins — Marcus Kruger — Richard Panik

Defensemen

Duncan Keith — Brian Campbell
Michal Kempny — Brent Seabrook
Gustav Forsling — Niklas Hjalmarsson

Goalie

Corey Crawford

Canadiens

Forwards

Paul Byron — Alex Galchenyuk — Alexander Radulov
Sven Andrighetto — Tomas Plekanec — Brendan Gallagher
Max Pacioretty — Phillip Danault — Andrew Shaw
Daniel Carr — Torrey Mitchell — David Desharnais

Defensemen

Alexei Emelin — Shea Weber

Andrei Markov — Jeff Petry

Nathan Beaulieu — Joel Hanley

Goalies

Al Montoya

How to watch Canadiens at Blackhawks

Where: United Center, Chicago

Time: 6 p.m. CT

TV: WGN

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