William Shoukri and Patrik Bexell teams up to talk about Laval Rocket and the ‘Big Beautiful Brawl’ where Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin (whom we forgot while recording) and Joshua Roy received three games suspensions, but more importantly what has happened to Joshua Roy since his demotion from the Montreal Canadiens? He isn’t on the first line of the Rocket, is that Pascal Vincent’s fault or Joshua Roy’s? However, points aren’t coming at the pace fans, or Eyes on the Prize staff, expected. The big section of the podcast is dedicated to the renaissance of David Reinbacher, after his compatriot Adam Engström was called up to the Canadiens, he has been the rock that other defenders hold onto in Laval. He is the foundation of the whole team, especially with Jacob Fowler being up in NHL as well. Over the last three games Reinbacher averaged over 25 minutes of ice time, if people are impressed with Konyushkov doing that in KHL, they should be even more so with Reinbacher as AHL is a much better league. Should Reinbacher shoot more, should he join the cycle more? Questions that are discussed in the podcast. After the commercial break, William Shoukri brings out the intelligence of Sean Farrell, and once more the question arises where he will earn his pay down the line. There is no question that Farrell would suit the European teams’ need of high quality players. He would also make a good team into a contender by just coming over, with the Montreal top six set for the foreseeable future, is Europe the path forward for Farrell? The podcast concludes with a look into Florian Xhekaj’s return to the Rocket. --- Listen to the podcast below, or on your regular podcast platform. Please subscribe, like, share and leave comment as it helps with promotions and our reach.

Game 34: Montreal Canadiens vs. Chicago Blackhawks Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Blackhawks region: CHSN Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+ It has been a difficult rebuild for the Chicago Blackhawks after they waited too long to move on from their aging championship-winning core. The team that was vying for the title of best in the league for a nine-year span from 2008-09 to 2016-17 saw that come to an abrupt end, not putting together a winning season since. Last year there was even some concern that Connor Bedard, one of the most highly touted prospects in the game over the past decade, wasn’t going to hit the ceiling envisioned for him, topping out at merely star status for his team and not reaching the expected upper echelon. Those concerns are no longer there. After a 67-point 2024-25 season that carried a -36 goal differential, Bedard is currently sixth in the league scoring race at 44 points through 31 games played, on a team that ranks 25th in goals with just 93. That’s an involvement rate of 47.3% for Bedard in the offence his team creates. Now the Blackhawks need to play without his services because he’s out with an upper-body injury, likely not to return until after the Christmas break. However, even before he went down it seemed like the clock was striking midnight on their surprisingly strong start to the year. On November 18 they had a 10-5-4 record and were tied with the Winnipeg Jets for third spot in the Central Division. They have four wins in the 14 games played since then, falling five points out of a wild-card spot in the process. In that time they also saw the Minnesota Wild make a major upgrade by adding Quinn Hughes, significantly reducing their odds of claiming a post-season spot in the NHL’s toughest division. Chicago has arrived in Montreal on a three-game losing streak, most recently blowing a late third-period lead with two goals against in eight seconds to lose in regulation. At 6-8-3, they have one of the worst road records in the NHL, and most of those results came even with Bedard’s help. Tale of the Tape .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-ymce{background-color:#BE2F37;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Canadiens Statistics Blackhawks 17-12-4 Record 13-14-6 48.7% (19th) Expected-goal share 44.4% (32nd) 3.15 (12th) Goals per game 2.82 (25th) 3.48 (31st) Goals against per game 3.00 (14th) 26.1% (4th) PP% 21.3% (11th) 76.9% (25th) PK% 83.9% (4th) 1-0-0 Head-to-Head Record 0-1-0 Cole Caufield (17) Most goals Connor Bedard (19) Nick Suzuki (28) Most assists Connor Bedard (25) Nick Suzuki (37) Most points Connor Bedard (44) It’s a very stoppable force that visits the Bell Centre this evening, but Montreal’s defence has been easily movable all season long. On Tuesday they simply got outworked by the Philadelphia Flyers who were gifted a lead and then locked things down with their disciplined team defence. It was a frustrating result given how well the Habs had played just two days earlier versus the Edmonton Oilers, then couldn’t be bothered to put in a similar effort versus a worse offensive team. You could argue that missing Bedard will make it easier for the Blackhawks in their quest for a win as they’re more likely to get the lackadaisical defending without a star the Canadiens can focus on. Major errors on defence, like leaving a player unchecked at the side of the net, being too careless with the puck at the offensive blue line, or, a new one that we witnessed last game, a lack of communication between a puck-handling goalie and his teammates, are what’s holding the Habs back the most, and will be the reason why they miss the playoffs if they don’t start to correct the issues. The Habs went from what would have been second place in the Atlantic Division with a readily available win last game to now third in the wild-card race, and once again saw their home points percentage dip below .500. There are three more home games to play before their season’s toughest stretch of road games begins, and they can’t afford to drop another winnable match.

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * As witnessed yet again in their loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Canadiens are too often sunk by their lack of discipline. [Journal de Montreal] * Rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler readily admits he made a pretty costly mistake against the Flyers after misplaying the puck behind his own net.  [TSN] * With Mike Matheson out, Lane Hutson took on the heaviest workload against the Flyers and didn’t disappoint. [Journal de Montreal] * Joe Veleno aims to show the Chicago Blackhawks “what they missed out on” tonight. [Montreal Gazette] Around the league and elsewhere * Think you could pass this NHL equipment quiz full of convoluted bizarro questions? [TSN] * Leon Draisaitl made history Tuesday, becoming the first German-born player to record 1,000 NHL points. [NHL] * Brady Tkachuk also made history this week after being high-sticked five games in a row. [Ottawa Senators] * Once just an expansion team, the Washington Capitals have become a “model for success in the NHL.” [NHL] * Flyers forward Tyson Foerster is expected to miss approximately five months after undergoing arm surgery. [Sportsnet] * On his first full day as GM, Jarmo Kekäläinen sent a clear, on-point message about the Buffalo Sabres. [NHL] * The Pittsburgh Penguins are poised for new ownership. [TSN] * Edmonton Oilers’ David Tomasek is “trying not to get discouraged” as he watches his team from the press box. [Sportsnet]

Welcome back to PuckTalk MTL, your go-to source for Montreal Canadiens previews, NHL analysis, and in-depth hockey breakdowns! In this PuckTalk preview, Kosta looks ahead to a classic Original Six matchup as the Montreal Canadiens face off against the Chicago Blackhawks in a battle of skill, strategy, and endurance. He'll break down the key storylines, including lineup matchups, defensive responsibilities, and scoring threats that could swing this game. From high-pressure forechecking to special teams execution, we analyze how both the Habs and the Blackhawks plan to leverage their strengths. Fans will also get insight into potential line combinations, goaltending decisions, and which players may rise to the occasion in this intense NHL rivalry. Whether you’re a Montreal Canadiens fan, a Chicago Blackhawks supporter, or a die-hard NHL and hockey fan, this preview delivers expert insight into what to watch for and how the game might unfold. We also highlight past encounters, player trends, and strategic adjustments that could determine the outcome of this Original Six showdown. 🔥 LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more Montreal Canadiens content, NHL previews, and PuckTalk MTL expert breakdowns! 0:00 - Show Start 0:37 - What does Coach think about Montembeault's "demotion" to the AHL 5:48 - Defending MSL...AGAIN!!! 9:50 - Hakws' Strengths & Weaknesses 14:30 - Hawks Vs. Habs - Projected Lineups 16:09 - 5 Keys To Victory Over the Blackhawks #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens #ChicagoBlackhawks #NHL #Habs #Blackhawks #HockeyFans #NHLPreview #OriginalSix #PuckTalkMTL #CH #HockeyVLog In every episode, Kosta Papoulias takes a deep dive into the latest Montreal Canadiens news involving Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes, Martin St Louis. Dans chaque épisode, Kosta Papoulias analyse en profondeur les dernières nouvelles des Canadiens de Montréal concernant Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes et Martin St Louis. Please Click to Subscribe / Veuillez cliquer pour vous abonner: https://bit.ly/mtlhockeytalk

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Starting the day with a chance to potentially move into first place in the Atlantic division, the Montreal Canadiens were in action against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, they may have been a little late to arrive to that game mentally, as they fell behind 3-1 after two periods before coming on strong in the third. Those strong 20 minutes weren’t enough, as an empty netter would seal a 4-1 victory for the Flyers. Dan Vladar stepped up for the Flyers in that third period, but perhaps if the Habs had made him work a little more in the 40 minutes before that, they’d have enjoyed a different fate. The Canadiens always get their daily recommended iron intake. pic.twitter.com/Kkkd81dIgc— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) December 17, 2025 All these posts and crossbars certainly have something to do with it, but the overall lack of shots is a problem that has plagued the Canadiens this season. Through two periods of hockey, they mustered a paltry 10 shots on goal before doubling their total in the third and final frame, most of which they spent trailing by two goals. It was frustrating to know that they had that sense of urgency in them, but didn’t bother to bring it out until it was too late. Inconsistency is something you can generally expect from such a young roster, but the age excuse grows weaker by the game. They followed up a strong effort against Edmonton with two very weak periods, and ultimately squandered a chance to gain ground in the Atlantic division in the process. A strong third period was too little, too late, and cold comfort to fans who watched the mostly listless 40 minutes that preceded it. If this team wants to be a perennial playoff participant and take the next step in their rebuild, they have to focus on achieving some consistency, doing away with this Jekyll and Hyde act in the process. They’ll also need to address why the worst of their play seems to happen within the friendly confines of the Bell Centre. After that loss, they sport a losing record of 8-9-1 on home ice, which stands in stark contrast to their 9-3-3 record on the road. What good is home ice advantage if the benefit of sleeping in your own beds seems to sap the life out of your game? Well, they have two games left in their home stand to show the fans something to cheer about. Following that, perhaps they’ll be excited to embark on a seven-game stretch away from the Bell Centre. Oh, and while this didn’t really decide the game, I’ll leave it here just to say that anyone who does this should be forced to walk home after the game. Unbelievable. Seeler pulls Gallagher's stick into his face and the refs give Philadelphia a power play up 3-1 in the third. pic.twitter.com/GccMyyz1Gz— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) December 17, 2025 Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll be back on Thursday night, when the home stand continues against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * A stint with the Laval Rocket could be a blessing in disguise for Samuel Montembeault. [Journal de Montreal] * Revisiting the Canadiens’ 2025 off-season departures. [The Hockey Writers] * Quentin Miller is making a name for himself this season. [Journal de Montreal] * Montreal sports broadcaster Michael Whalen, who died last week at 82, was a master storyteller. [Montreal Gazette] * William Trudeau is patiently waiting for his chance. [RDS] Around the league and elsewhere * The San Jose Sharks will release Michael Misa to Team Canada for the World Juniors. [Sportsnet] * Zayne Parekh is out to make a difference with Team Canada. [Daily Faceoff] * Is there a path back to a Cup window for the “mid” Toronto Maple Leafs? [Sportsnet] * New Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is aiming for character and consistency. [Sportsnet | The Athletic] * The best and worst trades from the Kevyn Adams era. [Sportsnet] * Connor Bedard will be out until January with an upper-body injury. [Sportsnet] * How will the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars react to the Minnesota Wild’s blockbuster acquisition of Quinn Hughes? [The Athletic] * Why Hughes is in Minnesota and not New Jersey. [ESPN] * Goalie Darcy Kuemper was placed on injured reserve by the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday after taking a hit to the head from Mikko Rantanen. [ESPN] * What’s going on with the Canadian women’s hockey team? [Radio-Canada] * Tampere and Turku, Finland, will be the host sites for the 2028 IIHF World Junior Championship. [Daily Faceoff]

Welcome back to PuckTalk MTL, your trusted destination for Montreal Canadiens post-game analysis, NHL reactions, and honest hockey breakdowns. In this post-game episode, Kosta holds nothing back regarding another frustrating Habs loss, as costly mistakes, missed assignments, and lack of execution once again prove decisive. He'll break down the key moments that swung the game, including defensive breakdowns, turnovers, and missed scoring chances that allowed the opposition— the Philadelphia Flyers—to capitalize. From questionable decisions to lapses in structure, we analyze what went wrong for Montreal and why these recurring issues continue to haunt the Canadiens this season. Coach K also examines individual performances, goaltending support, special teams struggles, and coaching adjustments need to be made but that fans are debating across the NHL landscape. Whether you’re a passionate Montreal Canadiens fan, a Philadelphia Flyers supporter, or a dedicated hockey and NHL fan, this post-game reaction delivers sharp insight and real discussion. If you’re searching for Habs post-game breakdowns, NHL game reactions, and unfiltered hockey analysis, you’re in the right place. 🔥 LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more Montreal Canadiens coverage, NHL content, and PuckTalk MTL post-game analysis! 0:00 - Show Start 1:26 - Game Highlights - Mistakes-A-Plenty Against Philly! 9:25 - Game Analysis - COACH GOES OFF!!! 23:21 - Coach Asks, "What Is Stephane Robidas doing exactly?" 30:02 - Don't forget to support Lou & vano and the Defend Philly Podcast! #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens #PhiladelphiaFlyers #NHL #HabsLoss #HockeyFans #NHLPostGame #PuckTalkMTL #CH #HockeyVLog In every episode, Kosta Papoulias takes a deep dive into the latest Montreal Canadiens news involving Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes, Martin St Louis. Dans chaque épisode, Kosta Papoulias analyse en profondeur les dernières nouvelles des Canadiens de Montréal concernant Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes et Martin St Louis. Please Click to Subscribe / Veuillez cliquer pour vous abonner: https://bit.ly/mtlhockeytalk

* I’m not sure about these defence pairings Martin St-Louis has come up with, but I suppose we’ll have to see how they do. First period * Jayden Struble gets caught up ice on the first shift, and Fowler has already had to face one transition rush. * Cole Caufield is given about one-third of the offensive zone all to himself, but Dan Vladar saves the situation. * The checking is tight right now. It’s like watching five fencing matches taking place at once. * Adam Engström is showing good patience tonight, holding the puck on a couple of occasions to allow his teammates to change. * His pass selection will need a little work, however. The one he made to Juraj Slafkovský leaves the forward vulnerable to a hard hit at centre ice from Rasmus Ristolainen. It was clean, but Ivan Demidov still didn’t like it and went after Ristolainen with a cross-check. The rookie will have to sit for two minutes. * Jake Evans looked great on the penalty-kill shift, and it’s nice to see him starting to find his form over the last week or so. * Engström steps up at the blue line and forces the Flyers offside. That’s now how the Canadiens typically play those situations, but they should do that more often. * Montreal had a good second-line shift in the offensive zone, but that ends when Alexandre Carrier trips up Christian Dvorak with the puck back in Montreal’s end. Time for Evans to go back to work. * The Flyers are fighting just to maintain possession in the offensive zone, so they’re not getting much in terms of offence. The Oilers’ power play this is not. * Josh Anderson makes a good decision to carry the puck over the line with speed to back off the defence, then play it back to Evans. Evans whipped the puck across looking for Carrier, but Texier intercepted it from a better position in the slot and ripped it past Dan Vladar to open the scoring. Another day, another Texier goal [image or embed]— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 8:50 PM * I just praised Anderson, but he was left on the ice for the next shift and didn’t work hard enough to cover his man in the defensive zone as the play turned up ice, gliding back into the slot and making a half-hearted reach with his stick as the puck came across the ice. That allowed Carl Grundstrom to accept the pass at the side of the net and tie the game right back up. * One of those defensive breakdowns that spoils an entire period. Second period * Anderson is out to start the second period, so I don’t know what message that sends to address the defensive issues. * Demidov tips the puck on a shot from Slafkovský that was sliding wide of the net, but put it off the post. * Sean Couturier latches onto Owen Beck’s stick to prevent Beck from getting to a puck mere feet from the net, and has the audacity to complain to the ref about the call. I still think the refs need to give unsportsmanlike calls that type of behaviour. * The Flyers needed a good defensive play to prevent the puck from reaching Texier for what would have been a three-foot shot. * Demidov makes a poor decision to take the puck away from Carrier in the offensive zone and head back toward the blue line. It results in a two-on-one for Philadelphia’s top two point-producers, and Travis Konecny sets up Trevor Zegras for the go-ahead goal. * These are costly mistakes the Canadiens are making. * Evans sets up another chance for Texier, but Vladar stops him this time. * The Flyers have given up nothing to Montreal’s top line tonight. It’s being completely neutralized. * Gallagher comes out for a shift and gets the puck for a chance. He flubs the first attempt but manages to put the puck on net for a shot at least. He looks good in the opening 25 or 30 seconds of the shift, but doesn’t have the stamina for any more than that. * Montreal only has nine shots through 33 minutes. They’ve allowed a strong defensive team to play with a lead again. * The top line gets its first real chances of the game, but Vladar makes the first save and the secondary setup is picked off by Bobby Brink. * The Bell Centre ice is doing about as much work as the Flyers right now to break up Montreal’s offence. The puck isn’t go where the players intend it to. * Fowler stopped the puck behind his net expecting someone to come take it, but the one who did was Matvei Michkov, setting up Brink for an empty-netter. A full communication breakdown on the play to makes it 3-1. * What is it with the Canadiens playing their worst hockey on nights they can move to first place in the division? Third period * It’s an angry start to the period for Montreal. They want to make up for one of their mistakes right away. * Another solid shift from Oliver Kapanen’s line has several chances. with the best going to Lane Hutson, whose shot more hits the Flyers netminder than was saved by him. * It’s relentless from Montreal right now. And it needs to be if they’re going to score twice. * The Flyers are desperate for a change after an icing and end up with seven players on the ice, but the refs allow that to happen. Funny, they usually give penalties to the trailing team when it’s Montreal trying to defend a lead. * Every shift is being played in Philadelphia’s zone, but none of that matters if they don’t find a way to put the puck in. * If Montreal learns to defend this well they will be difficult to beat, but it’s going to take some effort. * A full period played in Philadelphia’s zone and it’s Montreal that gets the one penalty. Nick Seeler sees Gallagher’s stick laying across his arm with Gallagher recovering from a hit and decides to pull it up to hit himself in the face. * Anderson and Zegras are going off for coincidental roughing minors. * Konecny hits the empty net and that will stick a form in this game. * Another game in which the Canadiens beat themselves, on a night the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Red Wings all win. Just a disappointing night overall. * Next up the Canadiens will play the Connor Bedard-less Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. They need to regroup and snatch up those two points. EOTP 3 Stars 3) They just don’t create any pressure without Slafkovský’s board work 2) I thought he was the most noticeable player for Montreal tonight 1) They both finished even, so we’ll have to have a round two

Game 33: Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Flyers region: NBC Sports Philadelphia Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+ Mike Matheson played a great game on Sunday night, shadowing Connor McDavid for all but two minutes of the Edmonton Oilers’ captain’s five-on-five ice time and holding him to just a secondary assist. The Canadiens won’t have the benefit of Matheson’s services this evening, however, as he is day-to-day with an injury. Matheson might have played through it if there weren’t six other defencemen that Martin St-Louis could trust, but Adam Engström is proving his NHL mettle in his second recall, and tonight will play a fourth consecutive game after both Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj were scratched in favour of the rookie in the past three games. Engström was a +1 on Sunday versus the powerful Oilers offence, and has yet to finish a game without at least an even goal differential. The test for the defence will come from Philadelphia’s top line, on which Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny are centred by former Hab Christian Dvorak. That will also be the challenge Jacob Fowler faces in his third NHL start and first on home ice after beginning his NHL career with a 1-0-1 record. The Bell Centre crowd is sure to offer him support throughout the night, and he can feed off that to help his club get the win that could vault it back into top spot in the division. Montreal Canadiens projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-ymce{background-color:#BE2F37;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing #13 Cole Caufield #14 Nick Suzuki #76 Zachary Bolduc #20 Juraj Slafkovský #91 Oliver Kapanen #93 Ivan Demidov #17 Josh Anderson #62 Owen Beck #85 Alexandre Texier #90 Joe Veleno #71 Jake Evans #11 Brendan Gallagher .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-rjwb{background-color:#21386F;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence #48 Lane Hutson #53 Noah Dobson #72 Arber Xhekaj #42 Adam Engström #47 Jayden Struble #45 Alexandre Carrier .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-n1r7{background-color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup #32 Jacob Fowler #75 Jakub Dobeš Scratched: Jared Davidson Conditioning loan: Samuel Montembeault Injured: Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle, Patrik Laine, Mike Matheson, Alex Newhook Philadelphia Flyers projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-nrix{text-align:center;vertical-align:middle} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing Trevor Zegras Christian Dvorak Travis Konecny Carl Grundstrom Sean Couturier Owen Tippett Matvei Michkov Noah Cates Bobby Brink Nicolas Deslauriers Rodrigo Abols Garnet Hathaway .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence Cam York Travis Sanheim Emil Andrae Jamie Drysdale Nick Seeler Rasmus Ristolainen .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup Dan Vladar Samuel Ersson

The Montreal Canadiens have dealt with their crowded crease with likely the most unexpected option. On Tuesday, the team sent goaltender Samuel Montembeault to the AHL’s Laval Rocket on a conditioning basis. Les Canadiens ont cédé le gardien Samuel Montembeault au Rocket de Laval à des fins de conditionnement. The Canadiens have assigned goaltender Samuel Montembeault to the Laval Rocket on a conditioning assignment. pic.twitter.com/FnhMAAIOrm— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 16, 2025 Montembeault last played a week ago, on December 9 and prior to that hadn’t played since December 2 due to an illness. The team announced that Jacob Fowler will start Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with Jakub Dobeš backing him up. This will provide Montembeault an opportunity to get back into game shape without the bright lights and expectations of the NHL. The goalie has struggled this season, with a 3.65 goals against average and .865 save percentage in 13 games. The Rocket play two road games in Cleveland on Thursday and Saturday before their holiday break. Montembeault will likely be back in the NHL at that point. Montembeault last played in the AHL in the 2020-21 season with the Syracuse Crunch.

Game 33: Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Flyers region: NBC Sports Philadelphia Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+ When the Montreal Canadiens played the Philadelphia Flyers six weeks ago, the Habs were a different team. They often fell behind in games and then relied on their depth of skill to pull them back in them, tying things up and getting games to overtime. They had overcome third-period deficits in five of the first 13 games leading up that match on November 4, and on that night they did the hard work in the second period to erase a three-goal deficit and turn it into lead of their own. The Flyers turned the tables with a tying goal in the third and then claimed the victory in the shootout to end what had been a perfect 5-0 run by Montreal in games going beyond regulation. Now with injuries to Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach, the Habs have had to spread their offensive talent thinner. They’ve only had two such late comebacks since as opponents don’t have as many threats to worry about. On November 15 when Dach went down two days after Newhook, the Canadiens were sixth in the league scoring 3.33 goals a game. From that date they are an average 16th at 3.07; still good considering the loss of two middle-six players, but not nearly as capable of putting together multiple shifts of offensive pressure. Their saving grace has been the power play, which went from being 11th on November 15 to the best in the league since at 34.3%. Now they can just put all of the good players who are still healthy on a unit and generate offence that way. Tale of the Tape .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-ymce{background-color:#BE2F37;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Canadiens Statistics Flyers 17-11-4 Record 16-9-6 48.3% (24th) Expected-goal share 48.8% (19th) 3.22 (9th) Goals per game 2.81 (26th) 3.47 (28th) Goals against per game 2.77 (9th) 26.4% (4th) PP% 16.5% (25th) 76.2% (25th) PK% 81.6% (14th) 0-0-1 Head-to-Head Record (24-25) 1-0-0 Cole Caufield (17) Most goals Trevor Zegras (13) Nick Suzuki (28) Most assists Trevor Zegras (19) Nick Suzuki (37) Most points Trevor Zegras (32) As the Habs and Flyers meet up for the second time, they sit tied on 38 points, but have come by them in different ways. While Montreal’s have largely been the result of their offence, the Flyers are putting in the work on the defensive side. It is quite impressive that they rank ninth in goals against as the league’s fifth-youngest team, and it’s been a big jump in performance for 3.45 goals against last season to 2.77 this year. Signing Dan Vladar in free agency has proven to be a great move. The team struggled in the net last year, but he is sporting a .908 save percentage while Ivan Fedotov, once a prized prospect the Flyers system, is now playing in the AHL following an off-season trade to Columbus. Now with some goaltending, the defensive prowess they’ve had for a few seasons now is shining through. Philadelphia is one of the best teams at limiting shots against and ranks seventh-best in high-danger chances allowed after finishing fourth last year. It’s a group that doesn’t give up much, and rarely loses by more than one goal. With that needed change in place, another off-season add is helping on offence. Trevor Zegras was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks at the NHL Draft for the cost of Ryan Poehling and a second- and fourth-round pick. Through 31 games he has already matched his production from a 57-game 2024-25 season, supplanting Travis Konecny as the Flyers’ offensive leader. The story is that the Canadiens were considering making a similar move a year earlier before selecting Ivan Demidov. As things stand, the 24-year-old Zegras has seven more points on the season than Demidov, who just turned 20 a week ago. There has been a lot of comparing Habs and Flyers prospects in recent years with Philadelphia declining to select Cole Caufield in 2019 in favour of Cam York (currently the second-most-used defenceman on the Flyers’ roster), and, given their ties, the Demidov-Zegras career battle will be one to follow as well.

Montreal Canadiens News and Notes * Jakub Dobeš came up big at just the right moment. [Radio-Canada] * Goalie talk. [TVA Sports] * While the goaltending might have gotten the most attention, the Habs’ blue line has undergone a series of important changes. [La Presse] * Youth, maturity, and the on-going, non-linear development of the NHL’s youngest (but not necessarily least experienced) team. [The Athletic] * Taking a look at each team’s fastest-rising prospect, including Montreal’s. [The Athletic] * Former Montreal Canadiennes forward Kayla Tutino fully expected to be done playing when she retired, but now she’s back and playing for Team Italy. [Radio-Canada] Around the League and Elsewhere * Connor Bedard will be out until at least January. [NHL | NBC Sports | TSN] * Victor Hedman is set to have surgery, but should be ready for the Olympics. [NBC Sports | NHL] * The Sabres fire Kevyn Adams and hire Jarmo Kekalainen. [TSN | Sportsnet | NHL] * Tristan Jarry is in for a weird homecoming. [NHL] * Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, and John Tavares all feel that ice size won’t be a big concern at the Olympics. [CBC] * Kendall Coyne Schofield and Renata Fast are even less concerned. [The Athletic] * Can the Avalanche keep up this level of domination? The numbers seem to say they can. [TSN] * Matthews and the Leafs in general are not playing to the standard expected. [Sportsnet] * Quinn Hughes says the move was a long time in coming. [Sportsnet] * Gavin McKenna is motivated by skepticism. [Radio-Canada]

Welcome back to PuckTalk MTL, your ultimate source for Montreal Canadiens previews, NHL analysis, and in-depth hockey breakdowns! In this PuckTalk Preview, Coach look ahead to another high-stakes matchup between two rebuilding rivals: the Montreal Canadiens and the Philadelphia Flyers. He'll break down what Habs fans can expect as Montreal battles Philly in this clash of young talent, roster development, and strategic adjustments. From key player matchups to defensive responsibilities and offensive threats, he analyzes everything that could decide the outcome of this critical game. Special attention is given to standout prospects, goaltending options, and how both teams are managing growth while aiming for competitive results. Whether you’re a Montreal Canadiens fan, a Philadelphia Flyers supporter, or a die-hard NHL and hockey fan, this preview delivers the insight you need. We also discuss recent trends, coaching strategies, and line combinations that could swing momentum in this rivalry showdown. If you enjoy Habs game previews, NHL breakdowns, and expert hockey analysis, this episode is a must-watch. 🔥 LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more Montreal Canadiens content, NHL previews, and PuckTalk MTL insights! 0:00 - Show Start 1:00 - Let's Support Louis Cocco and the "Defend Philly Podcast" 2:31 - Some History Between The Flyers & Habs 8:40 - The Current Flyers' Strengths & Weaknesses 15:15 - Flyers & Habs Game Day Lineups 19:45 - 5 Keys To Victory Against The Philadelphia Flyers #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens #PhiladelphiaFlyers #NHL #Habs #Flyers #HockeyFans #NHLPreview #PuckTalkMTL #HabsVsFlyers #CH #HockeyVLog In every episode, Kosta Papoulias takes a deep dive into the latest Montreal Canadiens news involving Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes, Martin St Louis. Dans chaque épisode, Kosta Papoulias analyse en profondeur les dernières nouvelles des Canadiens de Montréal concernant Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes et Martin St Louis. Please Click to Subscribe / Veuillez cliquer pour vous abonner: https://bit.ly/mtlhockeytalk

After a two-game stretch where the Montreal Canadiens went 1-0-1 with rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler between the pipes, they went back to one of their regulars on Sunday night. Taking on Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers at home, Jakub Dobeš got his first start since being pulled during their blowout loss to Tampa Bay last Tuesday. The hope was that perhaps a bit of time off would give him a chance to reset and find his form from earlier in the season. He did precisely that, looking about as calm and confident as he has this season, stopping 27 shots as a difference maker in a Habs win. Jakub Dobes with some excellent work to kill those penalties. pic.twitter.com/MG3KzULXxS— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) December 15, 2025 Some credit is certainly due to the penalty killers for their work on that long five-on-three, but Dobeš was very important during that and a handful of other kills. Special teams were the difference in this game, but against a team as offensively charged as the Oilers, you need your goaltender to be one of your very best penalty killers, and he was. For a goaltender who generally has a flair for the chaotic in net, this was interestingly one of the more reserved performances we’ve ever seen from him. He was aggressive when he needed to be, but didn’t have to scramble in his crease nearly as often as he has in previous contests. High-danger scoring chances at five-on-five were dead even at seven apiece, and yet only the Habs found any scoring on those chances. His penalty killing was important, but this game could have been a lot closer if he wasn’t so efficient for the full 60 minutes. After the game, he was named the first star of the night, and if his reaction to the ovation he received from the fans is any indication, it was something he sorely needed to hear. Boy did he ever need to hear that ovation from the fans. pic.twitter.com/XyN6YPb6j8— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) December 15, 2025 Confidence, or lack thereof, has been the theme around the team’s goaltending this year. This is the kind of performance he can build on, and hopefully get himself back to the level he was at early in the season. He didn’t quite have to steal that game, but he absolutely earned that first star nod and the ovation that came with it. If this is a sign that Jakub Dobeš is getting back on track, it could be a huge boost for the Montreal Canadiens. Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll be right back tonight after the Habs take on the Edmonton Oilers at the Bell Centre.

The Habs went 2-1-1 during the second week of December, and sit third in the Atlantic Division with a record of 17-11-4. It started with another full-on embarrassment at home, a 6-1 beatdown courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. The Habs then took to the road, with Jacob Fowler getting his first NHL regular-season start against the Pittsburgh Penguins after the Habs hit the organizational panic button – calling up Fowler, Adam Engström and Owen Beck. All three played in the 4-2 win on Thursday. Fowler got the start again on Saturday and watched his team collapse under the bright lights of Broadway. Welcome to the Habs hockey, Jacob! On Sunday, the Habs capped off the week on a positive note, with a fairly decisive 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers. The best part of Sunday’s game? It started with goaltender Jakub Dobeš stealing three goals from the Oilers during a five-on-three early in the first. He was the first star of the game on Sunday, and the crowd showed him the love he deserved. Montreal Canadiens’ Three Stars Unsung hero: Alexandre Texier (4GP | 2G 1G 3P) 2G 1A After I cut the honourable mention section I had written last week, we received a few comments asking for something in the same vein, clearly showcasing my poor instincts for the audience’s desires. My pick might be surprising, but that’s the idea of an unsung hero. This week, Alexandre Texier was the offensive catalyst for his line every night. He’s been responsible for carrying Josh Anderson’s lack of offensive awareness and still managed to escape a single game with a negative plus/minus rating. Texier’s two points this week were both impact moments. His opening goal against the Penguins put the Habs in the driver’s seat early, and he was one of the few forwards who remembered how to play in the defensive zone in Saturday’s collapse against the Rangers. He had a solid game against Pittsburgh, and scored an insurance goal against the Edmonton Oilers last night. After being waived by the St. Louis Blues earlier this year, he’s become a bright spot in the Habs’ bottom six. Third Star: Jacob Fowler (2GP | 1-0-1, .894Sv%, 3.42GAA) There isn’t too much to be said about Fowler’s impressive NHL debut against Pittsburgh that hasn’t already been said. He proved exactly why he’s one of the best goaltending prospects in the NHL. He’s calm, technical, and comfortable in his crease, and has fantastic situational awareness. We saw the Habs employ a team-wide protection plan for Fowler against Pittsburgh, then leave him out to dry on Saturday against New York. Fowler didn’t steal any goals in the loss, but you’d be hard-pressed to lay the blame on his shoulders. The bounce-back performance will be interesting to see, but with Montreal running another three-goalie juggling routine, and Jakub Dobeš maybe finding his confidence, I can’t begin to theorize how Montreal will handle him. Second Star: Nick Suzuki (4GP | 1G 3A 4P) Nick Suzuki had a great week, it’s as simple as that. In Thursday’s win against Pittsburgh, Suzuki set the tone for his squad that they were playing for Fowler and put up a dominant two-way performance. He was consistent all week, and instead of Caufield, Suzuki was absolutely the offensive leader on the top line. It does seem as though Martin St-Louis is trying to limit Suzuki’s time on the penalty kill, most likely to avoid more injuries due to shot blocks. That being said, Suzuki looks healthier than he has since October. First Star: Lane Hutson (4GP | 0G 6A 6P) It was elite week for Lane Hutson. Sure, the points are about expected now, but Hutson is turning into a good rush-defender and is showing the potential to become a great one-on-one defender. He is starting to develop a calmness to his game, alleviating one of the most valid criticisms of his rookie campaign: his scrambly play. If you need any proof, Hutson took 16 penalties last year. He’s only taken one so far in 2025-26. He isn’t committing the stick infractions he was last year, because he’s no longer a half-step behind defensively. With Quinn Hughes being moved, Hutson is the most skilled defenceman playing in Canada right now. He’s playing like a full-fledged star, frequently breaching the 25-minute mark and dominating the competition. Laval Rocket player of the week Alex Belzile (3GP | 0G 3A 3P) For me, Alex Belzile needs to claim this award. I wouldn’t say anyone stood out like an all-star in Laval this week, but in my opinion Belzile was the Rocket’s most solid forward, along with Captain Condotta. Belzile earns the honour even though he was suspended for the last game and will be for the two this week as well for leaving the bench during an altercation. Next up The Canadiens will play four games again this week, with the same daily schedule they just completed. The Habs will host the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Penguins on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday before finishing the week with the second half of a home-and-home against Pittsburgh. All four of these games are winnable, and the Habs need some positive momentum to carry into the Christmas break.

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * Bryce Pickford has caught fire with the Medicine Hat Tigers. The defenceman is riding a five-game multi-goal streak: 5 MULTI-GOAL GAMES IN A ROW FOR BRYCE PICKFORD!!! 🤯🤯🤯🚨🐅 pic.twitter.com/d0gaJGGXBK— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) December 14, 2025 * Quinn Hughes going to the Minnesota Wild was good news for Montreal because it meant he didn’t go to Detroit. [The Athletic] * In Abby Roque, the Montreal Victoire may finally have the complement to Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey they’ve been looking for. [La Presse] Around the league and elsewhere * Emil Heineman is realizing his potential with the New York Islanders. [La Presse] * Are the Minnesota Wild now Stanley Cup contenders? [Sportsnet] * Quinn Hughes scored in his debut as the Minnesota Wild beat the Boston Bruins. [NHL.com] * Zeev Buium also scored and factored in on both goals for the Vancouver Canucks in his debut. [NHL.com] * The Canucks placed Elias Pettersson on Injured Reserve. [TSN] * Leon Draisaitl’s chase for 1000 points is increasing interest in hockey back home in Germany. [NHL.com]

In this PuckTalk Post-Game, Kosta breaks down a wild night of contradictions as the Montreal Canadiens’ Jekyll & Hyde defense finds a way to stymie the Edmonton Oilers in a hard-fought NHL matchup. If you’re a Montreal Canadiens fan, Edmonton Oilers fan, or a passionate NHL and hockey fan, this post-game analysis is packed with insight you don’t want to miss. He'll analyze how the Canadiens’ defensive structure swung between chaos and control this weekend, limiting elite Oilers stars while being unable to do the same versus the New York Rangers. From key zone exits and coverage breakdowns to strong goaltending support and timely shot blocks, we examine what worked, what didn’t, and why Montreal ultimately held its ground against one of the NHL’s most dangerous offenses. You’ll hear in-depth discussion on coaching adjustments, pairing usage, defensive communication, and how the Habs managed McDavid-speed pressure and Edmonton’s lethal power play looks. We also look at what this performance says about the Canadiens’ growth, consistency issues, and long-term defensive identity. Whether you’re tracking Habs progress, Oilers performance, or overall NHL game analysis, this episode delivers smart hockey breakdowns and honest reactions. Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Montreal Canadiens content, NHL post-game reactions, and daily PuckTalk MTL coverage! 0:00 - Show Start 0:53 - How This Game Started & Game Highlights - It could have turned out much differently 5:41 - Weekend Analysis - What Were The Biggest Differences Between Saturday & Sunday 20:10 - Another 4 Game Week Coming Up   #Habs #GoHabsGo #NHL #Hockey #IceHockey #CH #HockeyVLog #edmontonoilers #canadiensvsoilers #nyr #newyorkrangers In every episode, Kosta Papoulias takes a deep dive into the latest Montreal Canadiens news involving Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes, Martin St Louis. Dans chaque épisode, Kosta Papoulias analyse en profondeur les dernières nouvelles des Canadiens de Montréal concernant Ivan Demidov, Patrik Laine, Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Jake Evans, Zach Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Habs Defencemen, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Sam Montembeault, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alex Carrier, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, Kent Hughes et Martin St Louis. Please Click to Subscribe / Veuillez cliquer pour vous abonner: https://bit.ly/mtlhockeytalk

First period * Jakub Dobeš gets the start after a couple of games for Jacob Fowler. * It’s a rough start for referee Furman South as Mattias Ekholm fires a clearing attempt off the back of his knee. We have to hope he remembers which team did that to him. * Josh Anderson goes in on a partial breakaway, but his backhand move doesn’t fool Calvin Pickard. * Juraj Slafkovský’s tips a point shot that gives Pickard more trouble, but the goaltender still makes the save. * Well so much for the Oilers getting on the refs’ bad side. Montreal takes two penalties on the same sequence as Connor McDavid is cross-checked in the back by Oliver Kapanen, then Slafkovský trips his man at the point. Two correctly called penalties, but you can probably put a one on the scoreboard for Edmonton. * A strong kill from a unit of Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier, Jake Evans, and especially Jakub Dobeš kills off the first 1:19. * Then Dobson replaces Carrier, and they kill off the remainder. The crowd gives everyone a long ovation. * The crowd boos as Ivan Demidov goes down, but there wasn’t enough contact for the ref to make that call. He finds one later in the shift for a hold in the corner, and the Canadiens will have their first power-play opportunity. * The top unit doesn’t have its usual accuracy on its passing, and that spoiled a couple of great chances. * Brendan Gallagher whacks away for three chances, but the last contact to get the puck in was with his foot, and that won’t count. * Alexandre Texier is going off for hooking. And Montreal had just evened up the shots after the five-on-three earlier. * They kill off another penalty, but they’re not going to get away with taking them all night. * Considering the power plays, it was an okay period from Montreal, still generating 10 shots despite only 16 minutes playing with more skaters on the ice. Second period * Demidov charges right at Ekholm as he tries to play a bobbling puck, and the defenceman has to get his stick in Demidov’s feet to slow him down, sending the Canadiens to a power play. * You see what Ekholm was trying to prevent. Demidov decides to shoot rather than pass as Slafkovský eclipses Pickard on his way to the slot, and Montreal has the lead. Ivan Demidov snipes one off the bar on the power play, 1-0 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 14, 2025 at 9:12 PM * Suzuki goes in on a breakaway, but doesn’t really get a shot off after his deke. * Dobeš is being very active with his stick in this period to keep pucks away from the crease. It seems like something he’s been working on in his time off. * Demidov tries to fire again with a delayed call coming, but whiffs. Don’t let that discourage you, Ivan. * Three more attempts on the power play. The Oilers were more worried about Caufield and he had a few looks. * Not as effective as the last power play, so it remains a one-goal lead. * Jake Evans works hard in the offensive zone to help Joe Veleno get the puck off the boards, then teams up with Anderson to put pressure on McDavid, who flips the puck out to the slot. Veleno is the only player there and fires it in. Of all people, Connor McDavid gives an early Christmas present to Joe Veleno, and he makes it 2-0 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 14, 2025 at 9:27 PM * Suzuki gets another breakaway. Stopped again. Hopefully that miss isn’t as much of a game-changer as Evans’s last night. * After a long shift in the defensive zone, Texier escapes on a breakaway. He tries the same move as Suzuki and Pickard saves his team again. * Edmonton is getting much better chances now. The Habs are in defence mode with their multi-goal lead, and that rarely ends well. * Suzuki turns and finds a charging Caufield. He dekes past his defender, then fires a shot off the post. * Montreal could have five or six goals in this period. * I don’t know what Anderson was thinking as he grabbed Darnell Nurse in the final minute of the period with the puck heading down to Edmonton’s zone. A wholly unnecessary penalty to end the period, giving the Oilers a chance to get back in the game in the third. Third period * The Canadiens have their fourth multi-goal lead in the past three games. They will attempt to hang on to one for the second time. * Another penalty killed by Montreal. That’s been critical in this game. * Trent Frederic kicks out Carrier’s feet. The ref standing 30 feet away called nothing, but the one at centre ice picked it up. Montreal can extend the lead to three. * If they can get into the zone…. * They do. This time Suzuki is the recipient of a perfect pass from Slafkovský and just has to turn his body to the right angle to deflect it in. It’s 3-0 with 16 minutes to play. Nice pass by Juraj Slafkovsky, basically just banks this in off Nick Suzuki. 3-0 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 14, 2025 at 10:09 PM * Hutson adds a second assist on the day and has four this weekend. * The puck come to Mattias Janmark in the mid slot. Dobeš sprints halfway out to him to cut down the angle and make the save. * Montreal is being very aggressive on the puck-carriers right now. Gallagher just knocked the puck off McDavid’s stick to turn back an attack. * They’re also sitting back and waiting for the Oilers to reach the blue line, not wanting to get caught up ice. The forwards could stand to be a little more assertive here. * Demidov is going to the box for high-sticking. These calls tend to happen when all you’re doing is defending. Another important kill. * The Oilers get the goal. Let that be the only thing Edmonton has to celebrate tonight. * Texier gets hooked as he tried to turn up on after a turnover, but continues on. He thinks about a pass but then decides to shoot, and restores the three-goal lead. Alex Texier with a short side rip makes it 4-1 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 14, 2025 at 10:30 PM * Slafkovský does well to get the puck down the ice, but is thwarted on his attempt at the empty net. * Noah Dobson misses as well. They can afford to fire from distance with a big lead. Maybe Dobeš will have a go. * On a shift of 4:23 seconds, Matheson prevents McDavid from creating another goal. * Montreal wins 4-1 at home, get its points percentage at the Bell Centre back to even, and takes five of last six available points. * The homestand continues on Tuesday when the Philadelphia Flyers come to town. The two teams are tied on 38 points. EOTP 3 Stars 3) He looked solid tonight (and had for the most part before the previous couple of weeks) 2) Good thing they play on ice 1) Fifteen more months

Game 32: Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Oilers region: Sportsnet West Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+ It turns out the Montreal Canadiens can’t just abandon their defensive duties with Jacob Fowler in the net and let the rookie save them. They did well in Pittsburgh to limit the shots he faced to start his NHL career, but the New York Rangers were able to test him from close range on multiple occasions as familiar defensive issues cost the Habs a point last night. That was against a team that rarely scores on home ice. The Edmonton Oilers team than the Habs have returned to the Bell Centre to face has no such issues, and the calm presence of Fowler won’t be in net to save the majority of the cases when the defence breaks. At some point the team will need to make the adjustments to prevent players from standing all alone at the top of the crease if it wants to be a playoff team again this season. The task tonight is containing Connor McDavid. While they weren’t able to do that very well in the first meeting of the season in Edmonton, they have been able to lock him down at the Bell Centre in recent history as he has just one assist in his last four visits to Montreal. Expect a shutdown unit of Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson to focus on #97 this evening as the Habs try to extend a point streak to three games. Montreal Canadiens projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-ymce{background-color:#BE2F37;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing #13 Cole Caufield #14 Nick Suzuki #76 Zachary Bolduc #20 Juraj Slafkovský #91 Oliver Kapanen #93 Ivan Demidov #17 Josh Anderson #62 Owen Beck #85 Alexandre Texier #90 Joe Veleno #71 Jake Evans #11 Brendan Gallagher .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-rjwb{background-color:#21386F;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence #48 Lane Hutson #53 Noah Dobson #8 Mike Matheson #45 Alexandre Carrier #72 Arber Xhekaj #42 Adam Engström .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-n1r7{background-color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup #75 Jakub Dobeš #32 Jacob Fowler Scratched: Jared Davidson, Samuel Montembeault, Jayden Struble Injured: Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle, Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook Edmonton Oilers projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-nrix{text-align:center;vertical-align:middle} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Connor McDavid Zach Hyman Vasily Podkolzin Leon Draisaitl Matthew Savoie Trent Frederic Adam Henrique Mattias Janmark Andrew Mangiapane Curtis Lazar David Tomasek .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence Mattias Ekholm Evan Bouchard Darnell Nurse Alec Regula Spencer Stastney Ty Emberson .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup Calvin Pickard Tristan Jarry

Game 32: Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Oilers region: Sportsnet West Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+ The Edmonton Oilers have had one glaring weakness for several seasons, and that is goaltending. The team has made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals despite the issues in net, ranking 11th of the 16 teams in the 2025 post-season with an overall save percentage of .871. The assumption from most people was that they would address the issue that has potentially cost them two championships in the off-season, but they once again went into a new campaign with Stuart Skinner as their number one. With Edmonton ranking 31st in save percentage midway through December, general manager Stan Bowman finally realized what every other person who follows the sport has known for years: a change was needed between the pipes. He looked to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a solution, swapping Skinner for Tristan Jarry. It was an expensive addition given Jarry’s salary cap hit of $5.375 million dollars for two more seasons after this one, requiring the Oilers to swap out Brett Kulak for Spencer Stastney in separate moves to make the financial element work. Was that the move that will fix the issue? Jarry does rank 20th in the NHL this season with a .908 save percentage, which would be a game-changing jump over what the Oilers have been getting. But he did have his issues last season, at one point placed on waivers where that meaty contract allowed him to go unclaimed and make it to the AHL. However, it looks like last season was the outlier and not his current start given his career mark of a .909 save percentage, so it should be a significant upgrade. Tale of the Tape .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-ymce{background-color:#BE2F37;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Canadiens Statistics Oilers 16-11-4 Record 15-11-6 48.3% (24th) Expected-goal share 50.8% (14th) 3.19 (10th) Goals per game 3.41 (3rd) 3.55 (31st) Goals against per game 3.38 (26th) 25.3% (6th) PP% 31.3% (3rd) 76.0% (26th) PK% 80.5% (17th) 0-1-0 Head-to-Head Record (24-25) 1-0-0 Cole Caufield (17) Most goals Connor McDavid (18) Nick Suzuki (28) Most assists Connor McDavid (33) Nick Suzuki (36) Most points Connor McDavid (51) The Oilers don’t need otherworldly performances from their goaltender to win games. The team easily piles up goals with the third-best offence in the NHL, and Connor McDavid leads the charge with his 51 points, four off Nathan MacKinnon’s league lead. They score on almost one-third of their power plays, making any team pay that tries to slow that offence down with hooks and holds. Jarry has already claimed a win with his new team, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, so the Habs probably won’t be facing him today after just playing him on Thursday in his final game with the Penguins. The net will likely belong to Calvin Pickard instead, a goalie with an .851 save percentage this season, and one Montreal has already scored on five times this season. That particular game on October 23 was a showcase of both the Oilers’ netminding woes and their man-advantage prowess, an infamous performance from referee Garrett Rank who kept the Oilers’ nigh-unstoppable power play on the ice for the much of the final two periods with five minor penalties assessed to Montreal versus the Oilers’ one first-period call. The favourable treatment helped Edmonton overcome a 5-3 deficit in the third period to get the win in regulation, taking a vital two points off the Canadiens’ ledger. Montreal hasn’t usually needed the officials to intervene in spoiling their leads this season. The Canadiens saw the same thing happen last night in New York City, as all they have to show for a 3-0 lead after 16 minutes of play is a single point from a shootout loss. Last Sunday, a 2-1 first-period lead slipped away in just over a minute of the second frame, and Montreal took nothing from the St. Louis Blues. Following up Sunday’s game with a 6-1 loss to Tampa Bay, the Canadiens’ home record has now fallen to 7-8-1, a big difference from the 9-3-3 performance they’ve put together on the road. They will need to change their results at the Bell Centre if they want to have a positive homestand before ringing in the new year on the annual road trip through the holiday season.

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * Following a brawl that featured several players who had been on the Laval Rocket’s bench when the fracas started, Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin, and Joshua Roy were suspended for three games, not eligible to return until after the AHL’s Christmas break. Sammy Blais was also suspended for just yesterday’s game. [La Presse] * Without those four forwards and Marc Del Gaizo, who had been hit in the head by Michael Pezzetta to set everything off, the Rocket fell 2-1 to the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday afternoon. [AHL.com] * Cole Hutson is of course cheering for brother Lane, but has also developed a friendship with Ivan Demidov. [RG.org] * Four-time Stanley Cup-winner Bobby Rousseau has passed away at 85. [La Presse] Around the league and elsewhere * Quinn Hughes informed the Vancouver Canucks he wouldn’t be signing an extension with them, speeding up the trade process. [Sportsnet] * Hughes will make his Minnesota Wild debut today. [Sportsnet] * With Hughes gone, the attention in Vancouver turns to the three new players acquired for him. [NHL.com] * Adam Foote is happy with the players the Canucks got from the trade. [Sportsnet] * The New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings were the other serious bidders for Hughes. [TSN] * Tristan Jarry sees his new job of trying to keep opponents to fewer goals than Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers can create in the playoffs as a “fun challenge.” [NHL.com] * Craig Berube is once again in the media imploring his leadership group to care. [Sportsnet] * Connor Hellebuyck returned weeks earlier than initially anticipated to halt the Winnipeg Jets’ losing streak. [Sportsnet] * Nino Niederreiter became the first Swiss-born player to play 1000 NHL games. [NHL.com] * Tyler Seguin also reached the 1000-games-played milestone. [NHL.com] * Matt Dumba was assigned to the AHL by the Pittsburgh Penguins after clearing waivers. [TSN] * Team USA won the fourth game of the Rivalry Series to sweep the women’s hockey tournament versus Canada by a combined score of 24-7. [Sportsnet] * Canada’s men’s Olympic team will be revealed on New Year’s Eve. [Sportsnet]

First period * Cole Caufield cheats a bit speeding out into the neutral zone as the puck stays in the Canadiens’ end, and that opens up some space for J.T. Miller to get the puck to Braden Schneider to walk in and shoot, but Jacob Fowler makes the save. * The second line comes out, and pass from Ivan Demidov to Oliver Kapanen in the slot just fails to connect. * The top line has now spent both of its shifts in the defensive zone. They have had several games with that not happening this season, though Zachary Bolduc isn’t the same player as Juraj Slafkovský. * Bolduc races onto the puck to get a shot off, but misses the net. He’s struggling with his accuracy this season. * The Habs are having some issues with the pace the Rangers are playing at, trying to outskate them rather than beating the beating the pressure with quick passing. * Bolduc didn’t need much accuracy on this attempt, he just needed to be hard enough on his stick to redirect the pass from Nick Suzuki behind Igor Shesterkin. The Canadiens are up 1-0 on their first registered shot. Nick Suzuki puts it right on the tape for Zachary Bolduc on the doorstep. 1-0 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 13, 2025 at 8:45 PM * A quick play by Adam Engström immediately turns defensive-zone pressure into a two-on-one. Alexandre Texier gets the puck across to Josh Anderson, but the shot misses the mark. * Before the third line leaves the ice, Arber Xhekaj steps into a shot from the blue line and keeps the Canadiens’ shooting percentage perfect. Freshly back in the lineup, Arber Xhekaj fires a sneaky point shot to make it 2-0 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 13, 2025 at 8:47 PM * Out comes Suzuki as Martin St-Louis tries to keep the pedal down. The captain fires the puck off the post. * Every line is going right now, and it really helps the fourth line when Lane Hutson jumps up to be a forward. He combines with Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno to set up Jake Evans, who nets his fifth of the season. Lane Hutson gets involved in the forecheck, sets up Jake Evans for a short-side snipe to make it 3-0 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 13, 2025 at 8:56 PM * Now they just need to keep playing this way and not like the did in the third period on Thursday. * So far not so good as Hutson immediately goes off interference. * The penalty kill is back in a diamond, but in this case it makes sense since the Rangers only have one player down low. * Evans gets a short-handed breakaway trying to make it a 4-0 lead, but misses his chance. * And now it’s just a two-goal lead as Xhekaj whiffed on a puck sitting in front of Fowler and Noah Laba poked it in. * Fowler will face a penalty shot as Noah Dobson comes over the boards and has to chase Artemiy Panarin on a breakaway, wrapping him up on the shot. * Panarin scores. It’s 3-2. * Gallagher gets tripped in the neutral zone and Montreal will have a brief power play to end the period, and almost a full one to start the middle frame. * It was an all-too-common implosion after going up by a few goals. They need to learn how to play with a lead, but at least they still have one. Second period * Too many passes between Suzuki and Demidov prevent the Habs from scoring on the one real power-play chance they were able to generate. * Hutson collects the puck and dances through the zone, looking for someone to pass the puck to. He finds Anderson, and a rising one-timer from the Powerhorse moves the lead back to two. Lane Hutson with some ridiculous set up work, and Josh Anderson one-times it home to make it 4-2 #Habs [image or embed]— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) December 13, 2025 at 9:29 PM * Vladislav Gavrikov wraps his stick around Caufield’s chest as the winger goes in on the forecheck, but the referee deems that legal defence. * Will Cuylle throws the puck out to the crease, and it ends up pinballing into the net to make it 4-3. * J.T. Miller ties the game as he left all alone in front of the net and collects a rebound before depositing it five-hole. * This is just the third time the Rangers have scored four goals at MSG this season. * Fowler sees a puck go off the post, but sticks with the play as another shot comes from the other side. That could prove to be an important save in this game. * Hutson sees that his forwards need a change, so does a lap around the offensive zone and hands of to fresh troops in the neutral zone. He made that look like an overtime shift. * Sam Carrick tries to land a big hit on Matheson, but only gets air as Matheson sidesteps him. * It’s another second period with a negative goal differential for Montreal, outscored 2-1 in the frame. Third period * Hutson spends another shift in the offensive zone. He’s doing everything he can in this game. * The Rangers score, but Fowler is adamant that the puck was kicked in. The refs get together and quickly agree. It will be reviewed, but won’t be overturned. Fowler wins his first NHL debate. * Just two shots in this period for Montreal, but also only three for the Rangers. Montreal would be happy with the third point on the road trip, and New York would be content to gain anything from a home game. * After a rather uneventful period, an icing call with 72 seconds might be the opportunity the Rangers need to change that. Montreal survives the shift, and turns it into an offensive-zone faceoff for 13 seconds to play. * Each team gets the point it wanted, and will now play for the final one. Three points on the road trip is a good result. The fourth would be a great one. But they do need to grab in overtime instead of going up against Shesterkin in the shootout. Overtime * New York wins a scrambled faceoff and takes the all-important first possession. * Kapanen gets a breakaway, but misses the net. * Panarin is interfered with as he tries to get a shot, and has drawn his second big call of the game. * It’s going to be hard for Montreal to win this now. They might need to take a chance short-handed. * Miller gets the goal on a one-time to give the Rangers the win. * It’s both good that Montreal got the three points, and bad that they could only get one tonight after holding a 3-0 lead. * Now they’ll head home to play the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow, with no two-day break on the schedule until the Christmas one. EOTP 3 Stars 3) He saw his moment to get cheered by the fans 2) I was surprised the review was so quick. There must have been one angle they could have found 1) It’s harming the second line’s effectiveness, so the coaches need to intervene

Game 31: Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Rangers region: MSG Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+ The Canadiens have generally played well this season, with the frustration coming when they have lapses in their execution over stretches of games that spoil the effort. One such case was found in the first meeting of the season between the Habs and New York Rangers, when Montreal held a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes by holding New York to just 12 shots, then saw the Rangers score three goals in the opening six minutes of the third period to steal the win. Similar runs of inconsistency cost them a win versus the St. Louis Blues last weekend and led to a blowout loss versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh didn’t have such serious breakdowns, and Montreal was able to get out to a 3-0 lead after two periods played. They may have gotten a bit too conservative trying to defend the lead in the third, but they had enough of a cushion to come away with an important win. Now Montreal will be vying for a 10th victory on the road, in a building that has seen the opponent claim the win in 11 of the 14 games played there. For whatever reason, the Rangers struggle to score on home ice, ranking near the bottom of the league with an average of 26 shots per game at Madison Square Garden while allowing more shots than all but six other teams on their home rinks. This will be a good opportunity for the Canadiens to take the final two points available on this road trip before returning home to face the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow. Montreal Canadiens projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-ymce{background-color:#BE2F37;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing #13 Cole Caufield #14 Nick Suzuki #76 Zachary Bolduc #20 Juraj Slafkovský #91 Oliver Kapanen #93 Ivan Demidov #17 Josh Anderson #62 Owen Beck #85 Alexandre Texier #90 Joe Veleno #71 Jake Evans #11 Brendan Gallagher .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-rjwb{background-color:#21386F;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence #48 Lane Hutson #53 Noah Dobson #8 Mike Matheson #45 Alexandre Carrier #72 Arber Xhekaj #42 Adam Engström .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-n1r7{background-color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup #32 Jacob Fowler #75 Jakub Dobeš Scratched: Jared Davidson, Samuel Montembeault, Jayden Struble Injured: Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle, Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook New York Rangers projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-nrix{text-align:center;vertical-align:middle} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing Artemiy Panarin Mika Zibanejad Alexis Lafrenière Conor Sheary Vincent Trocheck J.T. Miller Will Cuylle Noah Laba Brett Berard Taylor Raddysh Sam Carrick Jaroslav Chmelar .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence Vladislav Gavrikov Braden Schneider Carson Soucy Will Borgen Urho Vaakanainen Matthew Robertson .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-bobw{font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup Igor Shesterkin Jonathan Quick

Game 31: Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Rangers region: MSG Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+ It was a surprising season for the New York Rangers in 2024-25 when a team that had looked like it was trending toward contender status often looked disinterested in putting in any effort and never recovered on the way to missing the playoffs. The lack of urgency was felt most at home where they finished with a .500 points percentage from a 19-19-3 record. Rangers fans wish their team had mediocre results at Madison Square Garden this year. Instead they have three wins in 14 games played, registering just nine points through one-third of their home schedule. Only the Vancouver Canucks, who just traded their franchise player yesterday as they start to rebuild their roster, have a lower points percentage on home ice, and every NHL team has a better record in road games. New York is included in the teams that have performed better on the road than their own home results, leading the NHL with 12 road wins, and that’s why they don’t rank at the bottom of the league with the Canucks. They’re actually just a point out of a wild-card spot, and could therefore move into a playoff position with a win today. The issue for them tonight is that the Montreal Canadiens have an even better record on the road than the one holding the Rangers in the playoff race. Montreal is 9-3-2 for the league’s fourth-highest points percentage of .714 in games not played on home ice. Tale of the Tape .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-ymce{background-color:#BE2F37;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-8d8j{text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Canadiens Statistics Rangers 16-11-3 Record 15-13-4 48.6% (21st) Expected-goal share 50.4% (15th) 3.17 (10th) Goals per game 2.56 (29th) 3.50 (29th) Goals against per game 2.63 (6th) 25.6% (5th) PP% 18.1% (21st) 77.6% (25th) PK% 80.9% (16th) 0-1-0 Head-to-Head Record (24-25) 1-0-0 Cole Caufield (17) Most goals Mika Zibanejad (11) Nick Suzuki (26) Most assists Adam Fox (23) Nick Suzuki (34) Most points Artemiy Panarin (32) The Habs’ most recent win in their road whites came Thursday in Pittsburgh as Jacob Fowler made a victorious debut in the NHL. He has gotten the call again tonight to play in one of the most iconic arenas in the world for his second game at the top level. Several players remarked at how calm he was in his first match, and they can now start the game knowing that their rookie can hold the fort and won’t need to be quite so focused on keeping pucks from reaching him. The Canadiens have made a few changes to the lineup despite the win last game. Jake Evans’s return was expected as it was initially stated that he would return to the team today, and he spells Jared Davidson from the lineup. That means that Owen Beck remains in after he played a solid game, helping to create the first goal and scoring one himself before it was taken off the board on an offside review. Arber Xhekaj is also replacing Jayden Struble, so Adam Engström will play again over one of the defencemen who made the opening-night roster. Engström was using his speed well in the game, especially to make a few great defensive plays to help preserve his team’s lead. It is a bit amazing what the Canadiens have been able to do with so many rookies in the fold. In years past, their additions to the lineup were mostly encouraging glimpses of what the Canadiens had during losing seasons. Now, the quality of the prospect pool is so strong that players are capable of jumping in and helping the team win. The five rookies who play in New York City this evening will be working to improve Montreal’s road record further, and perhaps vault the team back into a playoff spot.