MTL vs BOS

MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens power play will have a decidedly different look tonight when they take the Bell Centre ice to try and eliminate the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of their first round series.

First-unit trigger man Mark Streit will not be in uniform after suffering what coach Guy Carbonneau called a hip injury in the second period of Game 4 in Boston.

Streit has been targeted as one of the Canadiens who has not elevated his game to match the intensity of the playoffs, but he remains a vital piece of the Montreal power play.

Ryder back in

Streit’s spot in the lineup will be taken by winger Michael Ryder, who was a healthy scratch in Game 4, but Carbonneau left room for debate as to who would man the right point opposite Andrei Markov on the power play.

Patrice Brisebois skated with the first unit in practice yesterday, and he will most likely see some time on the first wave tonight.

Carbonneau said that along with Brisebois, he can also call on Roman Hamrlik as well as winger Sergei Kostitsyn to play on the right point, and you can expect Markov to spend the entire two minutes of the power play on the left point.

Carbonneau keeps Koivu under wraps

Meanwhile, Carbonneau had to answer to the media as to why he did not mention the fact that captain Saku Koivu skated on his broken left foot for the first time before practice Wednesday. Carbonneau was asked repeatedly yesterday if Koivu was ready to skate, and he said his captain had not even tried putting on a skate.

However, by the time he mentioned that, Koivu had already been on the ice to take his first whirl on the broken foot.

Koivu skated again this morning, but Carbonneau says his captain’s status has not changed.

“I guess (he feels) pretty good because he skated again this morning,” Carbonneau said. “He’s staying the course. He won’t play tonight.”

Rumours of a return

There were reports yesterday that Koivu could play as early as Saturday should a Game 6 be necessary in this series.

When asked why Carbonneau shielded the information of Koivu’s skate to the media - and by extension to the fans - he appeared quite irritated.

“I don’t understand why we need to hold a news conference to announce that Saku’s ready to skate,” Carbonneau said. “If I tell you he’s ready to skate, and he skates for only two minutes, what happens then?”

The report that he could be ready as soon as Saturday should be taken with a massive bucket of salt, but what is important is that it appears Koivu would be ready to go for the start of the second round, which would be a massive boost to the Habs because Koivu is valuable in so many areas come playoff time.

“It’s exciting,” winger Tom Kostpoloulos said. “He’s our leader, our inspiration. If we can get to that next round, it’s great to know he might be back. It would be exciting to have him back in the lineup, but for now we’re confident we can win without him.”

Higgins will benefit

Koivu’s leadership becomes so much more important on a team with a lot of youth, and his presence on the bench during games would be invaluable, especially for Christopher Higgins.

Koivu’s return would allow Higgins to move back to the wing, and might help him get on the scoresheet as he is still looking for his first point of the playoffs.

Koivu would also be a huge upgrade on Higgins in the faceoff circle, as he is Montreal’s best in that area. Often times during this series, Carbonneau has had to send Bryan Smolinski out to take important defensive zone draws for Higgins.

The major area Koivu’s return would help would be on the power play, because he would give Carbonneau many more options on not only his second unit, but also for shaking up the first unit if the power play continues to function so poorly.

Smolinski will likely centre the second power-play unit tonight with Higgins and either Sergei Kostitsyn or Alex Kovalev, who also risks playing the entire two minutes.

Lineup question marks for Bruins

On Boston’s side for tonight’s desperation showdown, there’s nothing but questions marks.

Defenceman Aaron Ward put in some extra time after this morning’s skate to see if his injury (likely his left knee) will allow him to be in uniform tonight.

Ward didn’t have any apparent difficulty skating, but he was clearly doing so in pain.

Boston coach Claude Julien said that both Ward and young winger Phil Kessel - who has been scratched the last three games - will be game-time decisions, and now Julien has to convince his team that the seemingly impossible mission they face starting tonight is in fact achievable.

Julien’s experience

Julien was behind the Canadiens bench in 2004 when Montreal erased a 3-1 series deficit against the Bruins to advance to the second round, and he’s going to try and impart some of that experience to his players tonight.

“I know the feeling it can give you to come back,” Julien said. “When you look at the big picture, is it scary? Yes.

“But is winning the game tonight impossible? No.”