THIS WEEK

THURSDAY AT MONTREAL

* Starting time: 4:30 p.m.

* Television: None

* Radio: XTRA (690 AM)

* Key matchups: The Duck defense could shine or the Canadien offense may break out. Montreal has only 26 goals in 15 games.

* Last year’s series: Montreal won the only meeting, 1-0.

* About Montreal: Only the New York Islanders have scored fewer goals. It might have been worse had left wing Brian Savage not gotten off to a fast start. He has 10 goals after scoring only 16 last season. Center Saku Koivu, the team’s second leading scorer, has missed the last three games because of a strained shoulder.

SATURDAY AT OTTAWA

* Starting time: 4 p.m.

* Television: None

* Radio: XTRA (690 AM)

* Key matchups: The Ducks will have to solve goalie Ron Tugnutt, who ranks among the league leaders in save percentage and goals-against average.

* Last year’s series: The teams tied two games.

* About Ottawa: Does center Alexei Yashin have any bargaining power left? He remains in Switzerland, refusing to honor the last year of a three-year, $3.6-million contract. Meanwhile, the Senators are off to a better start than they had last season, and center Radek Bonk--the team leader with 16 points--has shined in Yashin’s place. Monday was the team-imposed deadline for Yashin to report or he would be suspended. The top line of Bonk, Marian Hossa and Magnus Arvedson has scored in 13 of 15 games.

MONDAY AT DETROIT

* Starting time: 4:30 p.m.

* Television: Fox Sports West 2

* Radio: XTRA (690 AM)

* Key matchups: The Ducks’ mental approach. They have to get past their 4-15-5 record against the Red Wings (1-8-3 in Joe Louis Arena). That doesn’t include being swept from the playoffs twice.

* Last year’s series: Detroit won three of four regular-season games, then swept the Ducks out of the playoffs in the first round.

* About Detroit: The Red Wings are off to a good start and are third in the Western Conference. So all is well in Detroit, right? Not quite. After a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay Saturday, Coach Scotty Bowman blew past reporters without comment. A Florida TV crew is expected to file a complaint with the league after altercations with Bowman, Steve Yzerman and Martin Lapointe during the game. The Red Wings are 1-3-1 in their last five games.