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Montreal Canadiens vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: 3 things to watch

Michel Therrien will coach his 700th regular season game tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets as the Montreal Canadiens start a long stretch without star goalie Carey Price.

The injury-depleted Habs take on the last team in the East.

Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Here's a look at three key storylines:

1. Defence and discipline

The Habs lead the league with 39 points, and the Blue Jackets are clinging to mediocrity, bringing up the rear in the East.

Depth-wise, it is no contest with the Habs enjoying full team contributions. The Jackets have a young hotshot in Ryan Johansen, but after Boone Jenner, Brandon Saad and Scott Hartnell, things get a little thin up front.

On paper, it's not a fair fight. However, those are precisely the games that give the Habs trouble.

Montreal may have swept Columbus last year, but with Price out for a stretch and questionable play against a similar team in the Devils last week, the Habs will need to stick to the game plan and stay out of the penalty box in order to pick up two points tonight.

2. Galchenyuk leads the charge against the Blue Jackets

Alex Galchenyuk is riding a five-game point streak into tonight's game. His three goals against the Devils (actually four if you count the shootout) were each beautiful in their own way.

I can't wait for him to show more of what he has in his tool kit.

Galchenyuk was named the NHL's third star for his play last week, while David Desharnais will be introduced prior to this game as the Molson Cup winner for October.

3. Tort's law

Some may consider it a civil crime that Carey Price will be sidelined for six weeks after re-injuring the lower body part that already kept him out nine games...but I digress.

John Tortorella is the new sheriff in Columbus, laying down the law with a team that started 0-7 before firing Todd Richards on Oct. 21.

Since then, they are 10-8 playing under the fiery Tortorella. The team had nowhere to go but up, and even Tortorella told NHL.com writer Dan Rosen this week, "It's not about winning, it's about what you need to do to get a foundation of how to win."

They will be looking to build on that foundation with a tough test against the Habs at the Bell Centre tonight.