Hurricanes Face Canadiens in Montreal as Both Teams Look for Momentum
Tonight, the Montreal Canadiens take on the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre in what promises to be a high-energy matchup. The Canadiens, sitting at 26-26-5 , are coming off a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators , hoping to gain ground in the tight Atlantic Division playoff race. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes ( 33-20-4 ) are looking to bounce back after a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Carolina is shaking up their lines following that rough defeat, aiming for a better start after falling behind 4-0 in the first period against Toronto. On the other side, the Canadiens have some key absences, including Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle, and Michael Pezzetta , but are bringing in Owen Beck to fill in the gaps.
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Some players to watch tonight include Cole Caufield, who leads the Canadiens with 27 goals , and Nick Suzuki, who has 54 points this season . For the Hurricanes, Mikko Rantanen is having a stellar year with 26 goals and 67 points , while Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov are both riding three-game point streaks .
History favors Carolina in this matchup. The Hurricanes have been dominant against the Canadiens in recent years, going 16-1-1 in their last 18 meetings and carrying an active 13-game point streak against Montreal . They also swept last season's series, winning all three matchups.
Adding to the intrigue, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who was drafted by the Canadiens third overall in 2018, will face his former team once again . Since leaving Montreal, he’s become a solid contributor for Carolina, though his offensive numbers have fluctuated. Meanwhile, Montreal’s captain Nick Suzuki will be playing against his younger brother, Ryan Suzuki, a Hurricanes prospect —a fun subplot to watch if Ryan gets NHL action in the future.
Between the pipes, Carolina is expected to start Frederik Andersen , who boasts a 14-4-2 career record against the Canadiens with a .928 save percentage . For Montreal, Jakub Dobes is likely to start , carrying a 5-2-1 record with a .908 save percentage this season .
Statistically, Montreal’s power play (21.1%) ranks slightly higher than Carolina’s (19.8%) , but the Hurricanes make up for it with an elite penalty kill (85%, 1st in the NHL) .
With both teams eager to gain momentum, it’s set to be an exciting battle at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. ET , and fans can catch the action on TSN2, RDS, and FDSNSO . Will the Canadiens fight their way to another big win, or will the Hurricanes continue their dominance in this matchup? We’re about to find out!
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