The Laval Rocket entered the final portion of their trip to Western Canada on Monday night having earned at least a point in their last three games, with a win on Saturday in Calgary helping to give them a three-point lead in the North Division. The Rocket would again square off with the Wranglers with a chance to move five points clear of the Toronto Marlies, but would have to do so without David Reinbacher, who was out day-to-day.
Reinbacher’s injury moved William Trudeau back up to the...
Montreal Canadiens News and Notes
Phillip Danault is enjoying the things that make this version of the Habs different from the team he played with the first time around. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Nick Suzuki believes that the Habs accept their teammates as they are, and that would translate to accepting a gay teammate or opponent. [ TVA Sports ]
Sam Montembeault is not alone when it comes to the Habs struggles. [ The Athletic | La Presse | Radio-Canada ]
The recent struggles h...
The Montreal Canadiens went 1-2-0 during the third week of January and sit fourth in the Atlantic division with a record of 28-17-7.
The Habs started the week with two days of rest before hosting the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at the Bell Centre. Montreal put in a gutsy performance, managing to best a stellar performance from Jesper Wallstedt with a 4-3 final. Cole Caufield delivered another last-second dagger, a sweeping one-timer that beat Wallstedt with just 15 seconds left in the game...
With Alexander Zharovsky’s rise in the KHL, I reached out to an old friend and colleague, Ivan Letyagin, to get his input on the Montreal Canadiens prospect’s situation.
“Zharovsky is a very talented player, playing now in my homeland city in Ufa,” Letyagin begins. “His talent and potential are so huge that I would say that there have not been any such hockey players in Russia for a long time.”
There is a slight pause before Letyagin moves on to try to compare him to other top talent...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Jordan Kyrou or Robert Thomas could be deadline acquisitions who fit the Canadiens’ long-term vision. [ RDS ]
Juraj Slafkovský says he and Ivan Demidov are discussing the minute details of the game trying to get better together the same way Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have over the years. [ TVA Sports ]
Goaltending and the penalty kill are threatening to derail Montreal’s season. [ La Presse ]
Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson have been amo...
Badaboom! The Laval Rocket’s weekend series with the Calgary Wranglers begins with Filip Mešár scoring. Adam Engström causes a turnover on the offensive blue line and Lucas Condotta springs Mešár, who has time to deke the goalie inside out. Thirty-seven seconds in, Laval has the advantage on the scoreboard.
Only a minute later, Laval gets a power play opportunity as Étienne Morin takes a delay of game penalty. While the pressure is good, it doesn’t lead to any goals.
A lot of puck-wa...
The Montreal Canadiens held a third period lead against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, but were unable to hold on. Two goals in 12 seconds proved to be the difference as they left Boston without a point, and squandered a chance to put some distance between them and the teams around them for the fourth straight game.
There will always be games where you deserve a better fate, but what hurts in this specific instance is the fact it is the fourth straight loss to teams closest to them ...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
“I’ve always wanted to be successful. I’m always striving for perfection,” Juraj Slafkovský explains. The success he’s chasing is a career like compatriot Marian Hossa enjoyed. [ TVA Sports ]
Slafkovský has loved every minute he’s spent in Montreal and doesn’t understand why it is an unpopular destination for free agents. [ TVA Sports ]
Jake Evans said the penalty kill cost the Canadiens the game in Boston, and admits that he was a big part of...
It’s cute seeing the Sportsnet panel covering the Montreal Canadiens on a day they have to because the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t playing.
First period
Close checking and a high pace to begin this game. There isn’t a lot of room to work out there right now, but Montreal isn’t panicking under the pressure.
Samuel Montembeault leaves a giant rebound on the first shot he faces over five minutes in, but recovers in time to stop a second one.
Like it did in the last game bet...
Game 52: Montreal Canadiens @ Boston Bruins
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: CBC, Sportsnet E/O/P/1, Omni (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Bruins region: NESN Streaming: CBC Gem, ESPN+, Sportsnet+
For the first time since December 17, the Montreal Canadiens are no longer a seeded team in the Atlantic Division. With a win this afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres have moved into the third spot, and what was a threat from Buffalo to overtake the Canadiens w...
Game 52: Montreal Canadiens @ Boston Bruins
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: CBC, Sportsnet E/O/P/1, Omni (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Bruins region: NESN Streaming: CBC Gem, ESPN+, Sportsnet+
The Atlantic Division standings no longer feature a group of three teams at the top with a gap to the wild-card race. The Buffalo Sabres reeled in the Montreal Canadiens with two wins in eight days, and those results have also allowed the other chase...
The Montreal Victoire remain a work in progress — and head coach Kori Cheverie is more than comfortable with that reality.
Ahead of their upcoming game against the Ottawa Charge (Saturday, 2pm, CBC/Radio-Canada/YouTube), Cheverie emphasized growth, experimentation, and patience as key themes for a team still finding its optimal combinations, especially up front. One notable absence from practice was forward Laura Stacey, though Cheverie downplayed any concern saying that she would wait fo...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Zachary Bolduc feels the urgency to bring his best game as the Canadiens are about to have a surplus of forwards and some roster decisions to make. [ La Presse ]
Part of that push might be that his waivers exemption is up in five games’ time. [ La Presse ]
There is an option to give Patrik Laine a conditioning stint in the AHL without having to activate him off IR. [ TVA Sports ]
Montreal finally has its power forward in Juraj Slafkovský....
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
What is the plan for Patrik Laine? [ The Hockey Writers | La Presse | RDS | Radio-Canada | Journal de Montreal ]
Kaiden Guhle said the success of the Heated Rivalry series might open the door to the NHL’s first openly gay player. [ Montreal Gazette ]
The Habs are finally no longer chasing, but rather are now being chased. [ Journal de Montreal ]
The late Phil Goyette was remembered for clean living on and off the ice. [ NHL.com ]
A...
First period
Tage Thompson’s line gets the puck to the front of the net just 15 seconds in. That can’t happen with the same regularity it did last week if Montreal wants to win.
At the 44-second mark, Buffalo gets the puck past Lane Hutson at the blue line, and Jason Zucker scores on the ensuing two-on-one. Montreal didn’t hear the wake-up call 30 seconds earlier.
The Habs have begun to come alive a bit after the goal.
Kaiden Guhle takes Zucker’s helmet directly to the ch...
Game 51: Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Sabres region: MSG Buffalo Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Montreal Canadiens’ lead over the Buffalo Sabres was reduced to three when the Sabres won a head-to-head game a week ago. However, the Canadiens have recovered with a couple of wins since, gaining ground to hold a four-point edge despite Buffalo playing three games since last Thurs...
PWHL play-by-play announcer Sam Ekstrom may have said it best: “Poulin! Who Else? Montreal wins!”
Marie-Philip Poulin scored on a spinning backhand shot in overtime as the Montreal Victoire defeated the Minnesota Frost 2-1 at Grand Casino Arena in Minnesota on Wednesday night.
It was somewhat reminiscent of the Bob Cole call stitched into my memory: The Canadiens win the game in overtime, A-GAIN.
The Victoire held the lead late in the third period, but allowed a Kelly Pannek goa...
Game 51: Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Sabres region: MSG Buffalo Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
Only two Atlantic Division teams played last night, and they faced each other, but still both the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs earned points. That’s just the nature of this section of the NHL, where six of the teams are racking up points in a battle that will see a maximum...
The Laval Rocket spent Tuesday night battling the Abbotsford Canucks tooth-and-nail en route to a 4-3 win in regulation that helped snap a losing skid. Laval snagged a much-needed win thanks to a pair of goals by Sean Farrell, and a game-winning tally by Florian Xhekaj with just 13 seconds left to play. The Rocket were unable to rest on their laurels for too long, as on Wednesday night they squared in a rematch with the Canucks.
With such a quick turnaround the Rocket didn’t make many cha...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Looks like the Brendan Gallagher, Philip Danault, and Josh Anderson line has found an identity. [ Sportsnet ]
Joe Veleno has earned the trust of Martin St. Louis. [ Journal de Montreal ]
St. Louis said that his team was “excellent” at five-on-five against the Minnesota Wild and that it was one of the best games of the season. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Cole Caufield reinforced his reputation as one of the league’s most clutch scorers after scor...
After wrapping up a three-game road trip, the Montreal Canadiens were back at the Bell Centre to host one of the top teams in the league, the Minnesota Wild. With the visitors playing the second half of a back-to-back, the Habs were in full control of the game at five-on-five, and ultimately took a 4-3 win in regulation thanks to a thrilling Cole Caufield goal with 15 seconds left on the clock. It was a thrilling way for the home crowd to celebrate a win, notwithstanding the strange nature of ...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Internal competition helps make everyone better, says Jake Evans. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Phillip Danault hasn’t lost his touch in the faceoff circle. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Initial rosters have been announced for the Habs’ and Winnipeg Jets’ alumni teams for the 2026 Heritage Classic. [ Montreal Canadiens ]
The Habs are reportedly one of the teams interested in Nazem Kadri. [ The Score ]
Three other potential targets for the Canadiens. [...
First period
The crowd picks up where it left of at the end of the last homestand, with a loud “Go Habs Go!” chant.
Each line played its first shift in Minnesota’s zone. Ivan Demidov worked himself into the best chance of the opening minutes, but passed off from a prime scoring area. He needs to be a little more selfish.
It looks like Montreal’s legs work again.
Kirill Kaprizov passes the puck from behind Montreal’s net right to Juraj Slafkovský, and he sends his linemate...
Game 50: Montreal Canadiens vs. Minnesota Wild
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Wild region: FanDuel Sports Network North/Wisconsin Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
Over two months since he sustained a broken foot while blocking a shot, Kirby Dach will play his 16th game of the season tonight when the Montreal Canadiens host the Minnesota Wild. He will join Nick Suzuki’s line opposite Cole Caufield, reuniting a trio that h...
It’s no secret that the Montreal Canadiens have had penalty issues this season. After going through the Canadiens’ penalties drawn and taken this season , we found that there are some areas that appear to be significant outliers compared to the expectations we have about how NHL games are officiated.
About a month has passed, and I’ve scraped together enough time over the holidays and in the new year to track every game for each Atlantic Division team up to January 14th in the same way I ...