Brayden Point returns, Paul Byron remains out as Lightning host Canadiens

The Tampa Bay Lightning will get an important piece back in the lineup ahead of their first game back from the extended holiday break.

Star centre Brayden Point will return to the lineup Tuesday night when the Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens.

Point has been out of the lineup since mid-November with an upper-body injury that initially carried a four-to-six weeks recovery timeline, and he ultimately missed 14 games. Before his injury, the Calgary native had seven goals and 13 points in 16 games.

On the Canadiens side of the rink, veteran winger Paul Byron is close to making his season debut but that will not happen Tuesday. Byron has been unavailable all season for the Canadiens following off-season hip surgery.

Both teams will also have some new faces in the lineup as some regulars remain unavailable due to COVID-19 protocols.

For the Lightning, defenceman Sean Day will make his NHL debut while journeyman goalie Maxime Lagace will get the start in goal. Day — a former exceptional status player in the OHL — was a third-round pick by the New York Rangers and has three pro seasons at the AHL and ECHL level on his resume. Lagace has appeared in 18 NHL games over his career, including 17 with the Vegas Golden Knights and one last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

For the Canadiens, forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard and defenceman Corey Schueneman will make their NHL debuts. Harvey-Pinard is a second-year pro who has 14 points in 24 AHL games this season. Schueneman has split the past four seasons between the Calgary Flames and Canadiens organizations and has seven points in 19 AHL games this year.

Samuel Montembeault will get the start in net for Montreal while his backup, Cayden Primeau, has been tapped to start Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.