KNIGHTS AT CANADIENS

Five things you should know about the CanadiensGolden Knights game Saturday at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, TSN-690 Sports), by Pat Hickey.

1. The matchup

The Canadiens may have lost to the Sabres on Thursday, but the one point they earned for taking the game to overtime was enough to move them into third place in the Atlantic Division with 19 points from an 8-5-3 record. After making a surprise appearance in the Stanley Cup final in their inaugural season, the Golden Knights are off to a so-so start at 7-8-1.

2. Price will ride the pine

Carey Price, who is coming off an embarrassing 6-5 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, will serve as the backup while Antti Niemi makes his fifth start of the season. Coach Claude Julien consulted with goaltending coach Stéphane Waite and decided it might be a good idea for Price to watch as he struggles to find his game. Price has a 5-4-3 record but, of more concern, he has given up at least four goals in each of his past four starts and his goals-against average has ballooned to 3.07.

3. Pacioretty returns

This has been one of most anticipated games of the season since the Canadiens traded captain and perennial 30-goal scorer Max Pacioretty to the Golden Knights in return for Tomas Tatar, prospect Nick Suzuki and a second-round draft choice. While Tatar has proven to be a valuable addition — six goals, including three in the last two games — Pacioretty has struggled. He missed four games with an upper-body injury and has only two goals in 12 games. Fans usually jeer former Habs on their return, but Pacioretty deserves a few cheers for past accomplishments.

4. Max drives the engine

Max Domi continues to spark the Canadiens’ offence. He’s not only tied with Brendan Gallagher for the team lead in goals (nine), but he is making the other players on the ice more productive. Against the Sabres, he put on his playmaking helmet and he collected three assists with two of those helpers coming on highlight-reel passes to set up Jonathan Drouin and Tatar as they drove the net. Domi is the team’s leading scorer (19 points) and he has picked up at least one point in 13 of the Canadiens’ 16 games.

5. The other guys

Jonathan Marchessault leads the Golden Knights in goals (seven) and points (14). The only other Vegas player with double-digit points is William Karlsson with 11 points, including three goals. A lack of offence has been the major problem for the Golden Knights. Vegas ranks 29th in offence with an average of 2.38 goals a game and their power play, which ranks No. 24 in the NHL, has been scoring at a 15.1 per cent rate. Look for Marc-André Fleury to start in goal. The veteran has a 7-6-1 record with a 2.51 GAA. Fleury has a lifetime record of 22-12-3 against Montreal.