In the midst of their California road trip, the Montreal Canadiens play the San Jose Sharks today.
While the West Coast opponent is a change from their usual Atlantic Division rivals, the start time of the game is even less common. For those who haven’t checked the schedule, puck drop is set for 3:30 pm ET, making it difficult for Canadiens fans back home to watch.
Here’s why that is.
Today’s match is part of the NHL’s slate of 15 games to coincide with Black Friday in the US, the day after American Thanksgiving.
With most of the country off, the NHL has games running from 1 pm ET to 10 pm ET throughout the day. While it may not exactly be convenient for many fans north of the border, it’s quite the lineup of action for those Americans looking for something to watch on their holiday weekend.
As for the game itself, with an abysmal record of 3-15-1, the San Jose Sharks are by far the worst team in the NHL, logging a mere seven points on the year.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens, who are 8-9-2 throughout their ongoing campaign, beat the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. They will try to muster up another road win in order to get out of the Atlantic Division’s basement.
With a rotation of three goalies on the roster, the Habs will go with Cayden Primeau between the pipes on Friday.
“Every team in this league’s good,” the 24-year-old said, not wanting to undermine his opponent. “I’m just excited to be able to play.”
So far, Primeau has logged one win over three starts, posting a 3.04 GAA and a .909 SV%.
Win or lose, though, Montreal will have to get set for another afternoon game tomorrow when they play the Los Angeles Kings at 4 pm ET.