Canadiens' Max Pacioretty: Moves up to top line

Pacioretty started Friday's game on the second line but was moved up to the top line before the end of Montreal's 2-1 loss to San Jose, Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette reports. "I was trying to get the line going and trying to make some things happen," said coach Michel Therrien. "They got chances."

Analysis:

With the Canadiens having trouble scoring goals, Therrien was hoping to unlock Pacioretty (five goals, 25 games) by having him skate with Alex Galchenyuk and Alexander Radulov. None of Therrien's line tinkering worked Friday, but the coach had to do something for a team that's scored 18 goals in its last nine games, a stretch in which they are 3-5-1.