Montreal opted not to give Mike Condon its first game back after the Winter Classic -- that went to Ben Scrivens, who lost 4-3 to Philly last night -- but rather have Condon take the second of a back-to-back, tonight at home against the Devils.
Condon really struggled in the month of December, going 2-8-0 with a .888 save percentage. While that was going on, Habs GM Marc Bergevin traded to get Scrivens out of Edmonton, to (presumably) challenge Condon for minutes.
But if the Winter Classic was any indication, Condon was up for the battle.
He stopped 27 of 28 shots against the Bruins, finishing with a .964 save percentage and as the game’s second star.
Tonight, he’ll look to remain undefeated in January against the Devils’ Cory Schneider, who was named to the All-Star Game on Wednesday.
Elsewhere...
-- Good matchup in Colorado, where Jake Allen will go for the Blues against Semyon Varlamov, who continues to carry the load for the Avs.
-- John Gibson -- who, like Schneider, was named an All-Star today -- is back in for Anaheim when the Ducks host the Leafs. Toronto will start Jonathan Bernier.
-- Brough wrote about it earlier (read here), but Eddie Lack makes his return to Vancouver tonight, and gets the start for the ‘Canes. Jacob Markstrom is likely in for the ‘Nucks.
-- Chicago and Pittsburgh played each other last night, so we don’t know who’ll be starting in tonight’s rematch.