Canadiens' Alexander Romanov: Skates on top pair

Romanov had five hits and three blocked shots over a team-high 22:02 of ice time in Thursday's 4-0 loss to Carolina.

Romanov, who played more than 20 minutes for a fourth straight game, has skated on the top pair the last two contests following the resumption of Montreal's season. Several blueline regulars are unavailable while in COVID-19 protocols, so Romanov gets a promotion. Ever since a one-game healthy scratch in early November, the Russian defenseman has been stellar on the back end, delivering 78 hits and blocking 32 shots while posting a minus-3 over 21 games.