After a hard-earned split of the two games in Florida, the Montreal Canadiens made their highly-anticipated Bell Centre debut on Friday night to continue their series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Just like the previous two games, it was an extremely close battle where neither team could open up more than a one-goal lead at any point. And again, just like the previous two games, they needed overtime to decide who would take it.
And then it happened. A Lane Hutson bomb from the point sent ...
about 7 hours ago
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With the Montreal Canadiens taking a 2-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning on the back of some incredible work by Lane Hutson, the plaudits are fairly directed at the Habs’ top defensive star. However, through three games it’s a surprising name who continues to tilt the ice in a big way, even in limited minutes.
Arber Xhekaj entered this series as a third-pairing defenceman, a role he’s mostly occupied this season, with its fair share of turbulent times that saw him out of the line...
about 12 hours ago
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Montreal Canadiens news and notes
“You know, I think I’m going to score,” Lane Hutson said before overtime began, Jayden Struble shared. [ TVA Sports ]
Hutson has been playing a major role for the Canadiens in the playoffs, and playing it well. [ Journal de Montreal ]
“I saw last year how electrifying the atmosphere is. I can’t wait for tonight!” Zachary Bolduc said ahead of a two-point performance in Game 3. [ La Presse ]
Phillip Danault reflected on his own experience o...
about 14 hours ago
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The building is loud, as it always is. It’s playoff hockey in Montreal.
First period
The Canadiens look sharp to start, using their speed to close down all attempted Lightning rushes in the neutral zone.
Zachary Bolduc gains the zone by getting the puck to Kirby Dach, who saucers it back to him. Bolduc makes a quick turn back to the slot to find a trailing Alexandre Texier, and the Frenchman makes it 1-0 for the home side.
Dach to Bolduc to Texier and it's 1-0 Habs! [...
about 20 hours ago
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2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference QFs
Game 3: Montreal Canadiens (A3) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A2)
Series tied 1-1
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French) In the United States: TNT, truTV In the Lightning region: The Spot Streaming: HBO Max, Sportsnet+
The Montreal Canadiens players have already gotten over the disappointment of losing Game 2. That feeling has been replaced by the excitement of playin...
We have all heard the raucous chants from the fervent fans of the Montreal Canadiens, whether at the Bell Centre, or at an away game. “Go Habs, Go!” Most of us likely participated in its propagation, bellowing the battle cry of our favourite National Hockey League team, even from the relative seclusion of our homes. It echoes throughout the arena, in unison at home games, in defiance at away games. Its presence strengthens the resolve of the players and drives panic and confusion into their op...
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference QFs
Game 3: Montreal Canadiens (A3) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A2)
Series tied 1-1
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French) In the United States: TNT, truTV In the Lightning region: The Spot Streaming: HBO Max, Sportsnet+
It was a difficult end to Game 2 for the Montreal Canadiens. With a 2-1 lead going into the third period, the Habs managed to create offence worth just 0.09...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
From Wisconsin to Montreal, by Cole Caufield. [ The Players’ Tribune ]
“I think we expect more from ourselves,” says the Habs’ leading goal-scorer. [ Montreal Gazette ]
How the Habs and Tampa Bay Lightning are handling the absences of key defencemen. [ Sportsnet ]
The Canadiens are rallying around Kirby Dach ahead of Game 3. [ NHL.com ]
David Savard also weighs in to defend the Habs forward. [ La Presse ]
Inside Bryce Pickford’s...
In sudden-death overtime, you’re only a shot away from winning the game, but only if you actually take it.
In overtime on Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens did not record a single shot on goal. Even in their Game 6 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021, when they were outshot 13-1 before Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s game-winner, they had more shots than they did in the 12:48 of extra hockey in Game 2 of their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
There is no denying that Kirby Dach ...
As the Montreal Canadiens land in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive year, now’s the perfect time to shine the light on the rise of Juraj Slafkovský . But first let’s rewind to Milano Cortina for a sec.
Slafkovský didn’t just show up to play at the 2026 Winter Olympics, he made it crystal clear that this was his stage. While Montreal sat idle for a few weeks, Slaf put the hockey world on notice, piling up four goals, leading the team with eight points across six games, an...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
What adjustments should the Canadiens make ahead of Game 3? [ TSN 690 ]
Potential lineup changes and player swaps for Game 3. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský haven’t shown what they can do five-on-five during this series… yet. [ Sportsnet ]
Phillip Danault answers fan questions. [ Canadiens ]
Martin St. Louis defends Kirby Dach’s Game 2 overtime blunder that led to Tampa tying the series. [ Journa...
For the second time in as many games in this series, the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning found themselves in overtime on Tuesday night. In a reversal of the last game’s script, it was Tampa who took the lead in the first period, surrendered it to two consecutive goals by the Habs, then tied it in the third to send the game to extra time. Unfortunately for Montreal, the reversal of the script held true there as well, and a goal from J.J. Moser won it for the Lightning, splitting the ...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
“That playoff atmosphere and feeling is so addicting,” Kaiden Guhle says. “You want to feel that every year.” [ Montreal Gazette ]
Josh Anderson is built for the playoffs. [ Montreal Gazette | La Presse ]
Anderson’s heavy style is also rubbing off on Juraj Slafkovsky. [ RDS ]
Alex Carrier and Arber Xhekaj are stepping up. [ Sportsnet ]
The Habs aren’t bland anymore. [ La Presse ]
Inside a Quebec church in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelie...
The same woman who did the Canadian anthem is back for Game 2. Another loss is due.
First period
The top lines hems the Lightning in for a full minute to open the game. They were even able to make a change on the fly despite the bench being on the other half of the ice.
Scott Sabourin comes on the ice the first time Josh Anderson comes out. Sabourin gets in Anderson’s face. Anderson laughs.
Alex Newhook catches the Lightning with too many forwards pressing for offence, ...
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference QFs
Game 2: Montreal Canadiens (A3) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (A2)
MTL leads series 1-0
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French) In the United States: ESPN2 In the Lightning region: The Spot Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
Charle-Edouard D’Astous is unable to play today after his head contacted Jake Evans’s on a hard hit from Josh Anderson in Game 1. In his place comes Declan...
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference QFs
Game 2: Montreal Canadiens (A3) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (A2)
MTL leads series 1-0
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French) In the United States: ESPN2 In the Lightning region: The Spot Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
The Montreal Canadiens didn’t have much luck with broken sticks during the regular season. Their fortunes didn’t suddenly change when the post-season began on S...
Montreal Canadiens News and Notes
The version of Juraj Slafkovský fans have become familiar with at the Olympics has arrived at the NHL playoffs. [ Yahoo Sports | CBC | Sportsnet | The Athletic | Radio-Canada | Montreal Gazette ]
Slafkovský became the first Habs player to score a hat trick of power play goals in the playoffs. [ NHL ]
Slaf continues to show that the Habs picked right when they drafted him. [ La Presse | Montreal Gazette ]
Josh Anderson proving his worth. [...
The underdog Montreal Canadiens were in Florida on Sunday night to start their playoff series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The game had all of the intensity that their final regular season meeting suggested the series would eventually have, culminating in an overtime thriller. The Habs’ mission in going to Tampa was clear; try to take at least one of the two games and get a split before going back to Montreal. Not only did they accomplish that mission in game one, they have a chance to make i...
The end of the AHL regular season had not gone the smoothest for the Laval Rocket, alternating losses and inconsistent efforts over the month of April. However, thanks to the Belleville Senators of all teams, they clinched a second straight AHL North Division title, and had nothing really to play for over the weekend.
Sunday’s lineup reflected that for the Rocket as Sammy Blais, Joshua Roy, and Alex Belzile all got the day off, while Lucas Condotta was out serving a one-game suspension. T...
If there is one thing that has defined the Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes-run Montreal Canadiens, it is conviction. They have a plan, they believe in their plan, and they will stick to it. The plan won’t always take the conventional route, either.
Hiring Martin St-Louis was not a conventional hire. Taking Juraj Slafkovský was not the conventional selection at first overall. Even Gorton hiring Hughes wasn’t conventional.
It was all calculated, however. Through two periods on Sunday night...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Nick Suzuki shared that Canadiens game plan in terms of discipline wasn’t just about avoiding retaliations, but also deciding when to accept some physicality when a penalty could be a possibility. [ La Presse ]
Martin St-Louis’s explained his decision to use his timeout in overtime. [ Journal de Montreal ]
“That’s just stupidity,” Jon Cooper said of his team’s inability to stop taking offensive-zone penalties. [ The Athletic ]
Juraj Slafk...
The Lightning deserve to lose this game just for picking that singer for O Canada.
First period
With the arena about as loud as when the Canadiens introduce their training camp in the home-opener, the puck drops in Game 1.
A collision between Arber Xhekaj and Dominic James sends the Lightning forward to the ice writhing in pain. It looks like Tampa Bay is down to 11 forwards early.
The Canadiens leave the slot completely abandoned and left Erik Cernak step up to the has...
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference QFs
Game 1: Montreal Canadiens (A3) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (A2)
Start time: **5:45 PM EDT / 2:45 PM PDT** In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French) In the United States: TNT, truTV In the Lightning region: The Spot Streaming: HBO Max , Sportsnet+
After 82 games, the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning each had 106 points, ranking fifth and sixth in the overall NHL standings. Their reward for such impressiv...
Matt Drake, Jared Book, and Patrik Bexell join the podcast for a round table ahead of the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens. The first thing that is being discussed is the physicality of the series and the fact that Montreal looks to be in a better position to handle it this season compared to last season’s series against the Washington Capitals.
One of the key themes early in the podcast was the uncertainty around Victor Hedma...
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference QFs
Game 1: Montreal Canadiens (A3) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (A2)
Start time: **5:45 PM EDT / 2:45 PM PDT** In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French) In the United States: TNT, truTV In the Lightning region: The Spot Streaming: HBO Max , Sportsnet+
After a rough start to the 2024-25 season, the Canadiens had to exhaust their energy reserves over the final third of the season just to make the playoffs. It took winni...