Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Jakub Dobeš is thriving under new goalie coach Marco Marciano, inching closer to the coveted no. 1 goaltender spot. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Dobeš knows his limits when it comes to speaking to the media. [ Journal de Montreal ]
The Canadiens have mastered the art of the comeback this season. [ Journal de Montreal ]
But can their style of play get the job done in the playoffs? [ Montreal Gazette | HIO ]
Of the 13 games remaining, five sta...
Needing a win to keep pace in the Atlantic playoff race, the Montreal Canadiens hosted the top team in the entire conference on Tuesday in the form of the Carolina Hurricanes. After a horrific start saw them down two goals in the first period, they went on to score five unanswered goals, securing two points that didn’t seem within the realm of possibility in the early goings.
At the centre of their comeback win was Jakub Dobeš, who stonewalled the Hurricanes after their two early goals.
...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
The youngsters on the Laval Rocket have taken a step forward. [ RDS ]
Recently acquired goaltender Hunter Shepard brings a Calder Cup pedigree to Laval. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Phillip Danault knows what Zachary Bolduc is going through as the younger forward navigates a goal drought. [ RDS ]
Is Cole Caufield a legitimate threat for the Rocket Richard Trophy? [ TSN (Video) ]
The five biggest games left on the Habs schedule. [ The Hockey ...
First period
Josh Anderson is back in the lineup, but his first shift doesn’t last very long as he gets sent off for interference a second after Phillip Danault won a defensive-zone faceoff.
Nikolaj Ehlers, the hottest goal-scorer for the Hurricanes, tries to send a pass to Seth Jarvis at the top of the crease, but instead Mike Matheson deflects the puck behind Jakub Dobeš in his attempt to cut off the pass.
The puck gets behind Lane Hutson and Taylor Hall turns it into a brea...
Game 70: Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Hurricanes region: FanDuel Sports Network South Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
Thank to three wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the past two weeks, the Carolina Hurricanes have all but locked up the Metropolitan Division by taking a 10-point lead over their nearest competitor. Now the Hurricanes are about to get a heavy dose of t...
The Montreal Victoire made a series of roster moves on Tuesday morning ahead of their game against the Minnesota Frost on Wednesday. The team signed defender Nadia Mattivi to a standard contract and placed captain Marie-Philip Poulin on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Poulin’s placement was retroactive to March 15, and the earliest she would be available to return is April 5. The team is 2-0-1 in three games without her this season.
Mattivi, 25, is coming off of a...
While few players get the Bell Centre going like Arber Xhekaj can, it hasn’t been a banner season for the 25-year-old defenceman.
Xhekaj’s story is amazing: undrafted as a teen when he was eligible for the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft in 2017, he worked his way up only to go undrafted in the NHL draft both in 2020 and 2021. Yet his play earned him an invite to the Montreal Canadiens’ development camp in 2021, where he impressed and promptly signed an entry-level deal.
...
Game 70: Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Hurricanes region: FanDuel Sports Network South Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Montreal Canadiens managed one shot in the first period when they played the Los Angeles Kings on the road on March 7. It was an opponent the Habs had struggled against for years, unable to penetrate the neutral-zone forecheck of a team with solid defensiv...
Montreal Canadiens News and Notes
Montreal’s core is electric and they’re just getting started. [ Sportsnet ]
Cole Caufield named the third star of the week. [ Canadiens ]
Nick Suzuki leads the Selke conversation and several other Canadiens are in the mix for NHL Awards consideration. [ The Athletic ]
Suzuki, Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovski are one of the hottest lines in the league. [ TVA Sports ]
Caufield could hit 50 goals this season, and is in the conversation fo...
The Montreal Canadiens have never been accused of being a boring franchise. This series is a look back at the moments that made you throw your hands up, lose your mind, ugly cry, hold your breath, scratch your head, and cheer so loudly you scared the dog … sometimes all at once. If you were there the first time around, you know. If you weren’t, hop in the DeLorean cause we’re going back in time.
Every now and then, hockey throws you a storyline so delightfully absurd it’s hard to forget —...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Milestones the Canadiens will be chasing for the remainder of the season, including 100-point seasons for both Nick Suzuki and the team. [ La Presse ]
Chasing 50 goals, Cole Caufield is also in the running to win the Rocket Richard Trophy. [ Journal de Montreal ]
Looking back at some of the other prolific Habs goal-scorers of the last 30 years. [ Journal de Montreal ]
One tough week down, another critical 10 days ahead as the Canadiens ge...
With the Atlantic playoff race seeming to heat up more by every minute of game time, the Montreal Canadiens have done themselves few favours of late. Three regulation losses in their last five games made Saturday night’s contest with the New York Islanders – a team also desperate for wins to get back into the playoff picture – a must win. It was a very close game all the way into the third period, but the Habs pulled away quickly in that frame, earning a massive two points in regulation that t...
The regular seasons in Europe are winding down and there has been mixed success for the Montreal Canadiens prospects throughout the season; some good, some average and some that will have to struggle to get up in the Top 25 Under 25 rankings come August. At the time you read this, Filip Eriksson’s season continues as his Luleå won the third and deciding game in the wild-card series against Örebro, and will now face Frölunda in the quarter-finals.
Will Shoukri joins the podcast as we go th...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Juraj Slafkovský says Cole Caufield reaching 50 goals is a challenge for the team before the season concludes. [ Journal de Montreal ]
When Caufield ordered a large chocolate sundae during his draft interview meal, Trevor Timmins knew he had the confidence to succeed. [ Journal de Montreal ]
Martin St-Louis liked the conversations he was hearing on the bench as the Canadiens dealt with some adversity in the middle of last night’s game. [ Journ...
First period
An energetic start from the top line and top defence pair starts the game off in the offensive zone.
A good scoring chance for Alex Newhook follows it up.
Kaiden Guhle erases an attempt by the Islanders to get set up by tossing Anthony Duclair to the boards with a big hit.
The third line comes down for its chance on Ilya Sorokin.
Line number four keeps the pressure on, and that leads to a Casey Cizikas slashing penalty as he whacks Brendan Gallagher.
...
Game 69: Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Islanders region: MSGSN Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
At the time of writing, the Pittsburgh Penguins have won their game versus the Winnipeg Jets in a shootout, while the Columbus Blue Jackets’ unstoppable march up the order has them out to a 3-1 lead over the Seattle Kraken through one period of play. Those are big res...
Game 69: Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Islanders region: MSGSN Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
The Columbus Blue Jackets were the latest team to beat up the New York Rangers when they played on Thursday, improving their post-Olympics record to 7-1-4. At the same time, the New York Islanders saw what they were expecting to be another chance to show off their ove...
After clinching a playoff berth on Wednesday night, the Laval Rocket returned to the ice at Place Bell as they began their march toward securing another division title. In front of them were the Springfield Thunderbirds on Murder Mystery Night at Place Bell.
While Pascal Vincent kept his forward lines the same, partially due to limited reserves with the continued absence of Laurent Dauphin, he did make one change on defence. While Josh Jacobs had been a reliable veteran presence on the Ro...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Jakub Dobeš may be eccentric, but he’s effective. [ TVA Sports ]
What the future could hold for Ivan Demidov and Matthew Schaefer. [ The Athletic ]
The biggest contributors to the Laval Rocket’s accomplishment of securing a playoff berth. [ La Presse ]
Alexander Zharovksy scored in the regular-season finale to tie Kirill Kaprizov for the second-highest point total by Junior-aged player in the KHL. [ Journal de Montreal ]
A rundown of...
After two straight first-round exits in the PWHL playoffs and a 1-6 overall playoff record, the Montreal Victoire entered last off-season with a goal to become more playoff ready and that meant shoring up their depth, which they did by signing a veteran group of players and adding them to an existing core.
It hasn’t always gone as planned for the Victoire. Out of the 20 games they have played this season, only five have had the luxury of having every player available for selection due to ...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Bryce Pickford is delivering a ‘pretty crazy’ season. [ Sportsnet ]
Brendan Gallagher’s journey to 900 NHL games. [ Journal de Montreal ]
The Canadiens just need average goaltending to have success. [ The Hockey Writers ]
Dillan Bentley signed a two-year, one-way AHL contract with the Laval Rocket after completing his season at UMass Lowell. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Around the league and elsewhere
Player safety was a hot topic a...
First period
Emmitt Finnie tries to chip the puck over Jakub Dobeš. He does so, but it bounces off the crossbar and goes behind the net.
Cole Caufield fires one of his patented surprise shots from the goal line and John Gibson spins as he catches it but keeps himself out of the net.
Juraj Slafkovský gets Montreal’s first great scoring chance off the ensuing faceoff thanks to a lobbed saucer pass across the top of the crease from Nick Suzuki.
Brendan Gallagher tips a point...
Game 68: Montreal Canadiens @ Detroit Red Wings
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Red Wings region: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
Just a few days ago, all the talk in Montreal was about how they would work all their healthy forwards into the lineup, and made the decision to leave Brendan Gallagher in the press box for a game. Now, they’re dealing with an injury to Kirby Dach and tonigh...
Game 68: Montreal Canadiens @ Detroit Red Wings
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Red Wings region: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
On February 27, 2024, the Detroit Red Wings won their sixth consecutive game by beating the Washington Capitals, turning what was a seven-point gap in the wild-card race to a nine-point edge. They then won only three of the final 15 games in the 2023-24 season. T...
The path to the post-season lay right in front of the Laval Rocket, needing just two points in any form on Wednesday night to clinch another Calder Cup playoff berth. Standing in their way, also needing just a single point to punch their own post-season ticket, were the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Laval continued to feel the impact of injuries as both Tobie Bisson and Josiah Didier would miss the next few weeks with injuries, and Xavier Simoneau had also been ruled out for the rest of...