Centre Oliver Kapanen won’t play Monday’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes (Sportsnet, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT), head coach Martin St. Louis told reporters.
Centre Joe Veleno practised with the regulars during the morning skate and looks to be replacing Kapanen in the lineup.
“Kappy (Oliver Kapanen) is going to be out tonight and it’s not necessarily for that (his turnover in OT of Game 2),” St. Louis told reporters. “We feel like Carolina bring a lot of heaviness and speed and I feel like Joey (Joe Veleno) can give us that.”
After a solid rookie season with the Habs, Kapanen has struggled to carry over his production to the playoffs as he remains without a point in seven games. He has been in and out of the lineup throughout the post-season but had played in Montreal’s previous three games.
In Saturday’s Game 2 overtime loss to Carolina, the Swede finished with a minus-2 in 10:01 of ice time.
Veleno, meanwhile, hasn’t played since Game 6 of the second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. In six games this post-season, the Montreal native has one assist and has averaged 9:40 of ice time.
