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Habs rule out leading scorer Pacioretty for Game 1

Colorado Avalanche  v Montreal Canadiens

MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 18: Max Pacioretty #67 of the Montreal Canadiens waits of face-off during the NHL game against the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell Centre on October 18, 2014 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Avalanche 3-2. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Max Pacioretty

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Montreal will be without 37-goal man Max Pacioretty when they open their playoff series against Ottawa tonight at the Bell Centre.

Pacioretty, dealing with an upper-body injury suffered in Montreal’s third-last game of the season against Florida, was officially ruled out this morning, but could return for Game 2 on Friday night -- that said, Habs head coach Michel Therrien wouldn’t commit to any potential comeback date.

“As I said, we’ll use him when he’s 100 per cent,” Therrien said, per the CP. “It’s not tonight obviously.

“It could be Friday, it could be Sunday. Once we get the okay from our medical team, we’ll be very glad to get him back in the lineup.”

With Pacioretty out, here’s what Montreal’s line rushes looked like this morning:

Alex Galchenyuk-Tomas Plekanec-Brendan Gallagher

Devante Smith-Pelly-David Desharnais-P.A. Parenteau

Jacob de la Rose-Lars Eller-Dale Weise

Brandon Prust-Torrey Mitchell-Brian Flynn