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Laval @ Calgary recap and highlights: Rocket comeback goes for naught out West #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Laval @ Calgary recap and highlights: Rocket comeback goes for naught out West

Despite the Rocket ending their lengthy win streak last weekend at home against the Hamilton Hammers, they hopped on the road trying to start a new streak, starting with a late night contest in Calgary against the Wranglers. The lineup continued to see some shuffling as Owen Beck was again on recall with the Montreal Canadiens, so Laurent Dauphin bumped down to the second line in his place. Dauphin was flanked by Brett Berard and Josh Nadeau for the night. Vincent Arseneau rejoined the lineup after missing the games since October 3. He formed a fourth line with Hunter McKown and Jared Davidson. Maksymilian Szuber slid down to the third pair with Owen Protz, while in net it was the veteran Kaapo Kähkönen getting the start once again. The Rocket, who usually dominate the shot clock in all facets, didn’t come out of the gate hot against Calgary as they could only chip the puck out before the Wranglers rolled back in on their next attack. Through the opening few minutes, Kähkönen already made five saves while the offence tried to find its legs. The second line thankfully provided just that as Nadeau and Reilly Walsh tested Arsenii Sergeev with multiple looks, but through six minutes the game remained goalless. After a hectic start to the game, things settled into a deep lull as neither side was able to really establish an offensive presence. Even the best chances by the Rocket were squandered, as Alex Belzile failed to tuck a puck under Sergeev and David Reinbacher’s shot hit a stick while he was staring down a wide-open net. Laval eventually kept the pressure on enough to draw the game’s first power play, and the AHL’s top unit did everything it could to open the scoring. With Belzile operating in the slot, the Rocket had four separate chances to sneak a puck by Sergeev, but could not chip it over the Calgary netminder. That failed opportunity ended up mattering a great deal as the Wranglers went down the ice, and despite being outshot 19-6, scored the first goal of the night. Mike Benning followed up a chance by Rory Keirns to lift a shot over Kähkönen’s shoulder with eight seconds left in the period to send the Rocket into the intermission frustrated. Much like the first period, neither team did much to establish a firm grip on the game. The Rocket had a few looks that didn’t amount to much, while the Wranglers added just one shot to their total. Eventually a careless hold by Reinbacher put the Rocket penalty kill to the test for the first time on the night. Belzile’s veteran wiles allowed the Rocket to chip away at the Wrangler’s power play, which ended up generating just two shots and allowed Reinbacher to escape. Unfortunately for the Rocket, they followed up their strong kill by launching the puck out of play and heading right back to the penalty kill just 19 seconds after their first attempt. While the penalty-killers outside the net did everything they could to deny Calgary, William Strömgren snuck a shot under the arm of Kähkönen, and suddenly the Rocket were looking at a two-goal deficit midway through the game. In response to the Calgary goal, the Rocket responded with a third straight penalty as Filip Mesar hooked Alex Nylander as he broke in on net, and if not for a stunning save by Kähkönen it could easily have been a 3-0 contest. After surrendering a quick power-play goal the last time out, the Rocket penalty-killers snuffed out the Calgary man advantage, allowing one shot on net as they looked to claw back into the contest with just over six minutes left to play in the second period. When the Rocket did manage to generate some offensive-zone time they were able to test Sergeev multiple times, but again could not find the final touch needed to get the puck over the line as the period wore down. In fact they again entered the intermission with a strong shot lead, but nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. The struggles to gain the offensive zone continued for the Rocket as the third period started, but a holding call against Rory Kerins gave the red-hot Rocket power play a chance to cut into the two-goal deficit. After struggling for stretches of the game, the power play went back to doing what it always does, and it paid off in a big way. Sasha Pastujov worked the puck back to the point for Luke Mittelstadt, who walked along the blue line and rifled his fifth goal of the year over Sergeev’s shoulder to cut into the lead. The Wranglers were extremely content to dump their chances into the offensive zone, and muck it up along the boards as they continued to bleed down the clock and keep the Rocket’s top guns away from the offensive zone. It was for good reason as the Rocket were all over Calgary every time the puck crossed into the offensive zone, with Reilly Walsh continuing to be a force along the blue line with the puck as they started to generate actual pressure. As the time continued to tick down, head coach Daniel Jacob turned to Braden Haché and Walsh to put pucks on net, and their pressure wore down the Wranglers in a way that finally opened up a game-tying opportunity. Dillan Bentley drove hard toward the net, dishing off for Xavier Simoneau who skirted Sergeev to tie the game 2-2. For his troubles however, Bentley got absolutely lit up by Brayden Pachal into the end boards, with Bentley needing help to the bench. Simoneau’s goal stood, but the Rocket were exceedingly angry at Pachal, who escaped a penalty for his hit. The tied game lasted just about a minute before a whiffed clearing attempt turned into a Calgary goal that again put the Rocket in desperation mode for the final three-and-a-half minutes of play. With just under two minutes left it was time for Kähkönen to head to the bench, giving Laval 1:49 of an extra attacker to try and again tie the game up. Forty-six seconds later, a 125-foot wristshot by Ben Jones into the empty net sealed the Rocket’s fate as it moved to a 4-2 scoreline and sent the Rocket to a second straight loss. The Rocket did not take the empty-net goal well, with Vincent Arseneau taking a swing at the Wranglers netminder, and Haché tussling with multiple players to end the contest. Final Score: Calgary 4, Laval 2 The bad blood will simmer for another day before these two sides square off on Saturday afternoon with a 12pm MT/2pm ET puck drop in Calgary.

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Friday Habs Headlines: The price of business? #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Friday Habs Headlines: The price of business?

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * Do the Habs need to offer Michael Hage to make a deal of major consequence? [Journal de Montreal] * What could the Canadiens offer for Dylan Larkin? [The Hockey Writers] * Could the Detroit Red Wings be using the Habs as leverage against Larkin? [Journal de Montreal] * The Heritage Classic proved more tiring than your typical road game. [Journal de Montreal] * Martin St. Louis has been forced to become a master juggler amid a recent rash of injuries. [The Athletic] * TSN’s Frankie Corrado is blossoming as a colour commentator for Canadiens games. [Montreal Gazette] * With Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes in the crease, the Canadiens boast one of the best tandems of young goaltenders in the National Hockey League. [TSN (Video)] * The Montreal Canadiens’ second special 50/50 raffle of the season will benefit the CHUM Foundation’s Guy Lafleur Fund. [Montreal Canadiens] * The Habs will wear their “hometown remix” jersey ten times this season. [RDS] * Brett Berard is making an outsized impact in a fresh start with the Laval Rocket. [Montreal Gazette] Around the league and elsewhere * The Detroit Red Wings have suspended Dylan Larkin without pay and taken him off the roster after they said he told the team he will no longer play for the franchise. [Sportsnet | TSN | The Athletic] * How the Boston Bruins got their groove back. [The Athletic] * Once upon a time, Casey DeSmith almost played for the Canadiens. [Radio-Canada] * Bill Guerin has a dilemma dealing with a non-committal Quinn Hughes. [La Presse | NHL.com] * Aleksander Barkov could return to the lineup for the Florida Panthers in about four weeks after skating for the first time since injuring his left knee Oct. 1. [NHL.com] * The two-time Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost will be without captain Kendall Coyne Schofield for the entire 2026-27 PWHL season after the 34-year-old announced her pregnancy. [Daily Faceoff] * The PWHL is increasing the minimum player salary from around $38,000 to $42,000 for the 2026-27 season and will raise it to $52,500 by the 2030-31 season, the league and the PWHL Players Association announced. [Daily Faceoff | CBC] * A dispute with the IIHF could force Canada and the USA to wear generic jerseys at the Women’s Worlds. [TSN] * Just shy of three-quarters of Canadian hockey fans say the end of Hockey Night in Canada is a major loss for Canadian hockey and its traditions, according to a new Angus Reid Institute survey. [National Post]

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Canadiens @ Stars Top Six Minutes: Habs sweep road trip with four regulation wins #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens @ Stars Top Six Minutes: Habs sweep road trip with four regulation wins

First period * Montreal spends the opening couple of shifts in its own zone. Let’s hope this isn’t what the full 60 minutes will look like. * The top line looks more dangerous already with Alex Newhook at centre. A sequence of passing was only broken up when the puck bounced over Alexandre Carrier’s stick at the blue line. * Another great offensive-zone shift from the top line has the Stars scrambling to chase the puck. They forget about Cole Caufield as he has to go behind the net to retrieve his stick, and he gets himself open in his spot at the side of the net to pound in the game’s opening goal. Danault's blocked shot goes right to Cole Caufield, and he won't miss from there. 1-0 #Habs pic.twitter.com/aP4nGGA8E9— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 30, 2026 * That’s already half of the typical amount of goals the Stars allow in a match. * Lane Hutson keeps the momentum going by slipping past Mikko Rantanen and forcing him into a tripping penalty. * Jake Oettinger leaves a rebound, and Cole Caufield pokes it underneath him, but off the post on the other side. * Caufield gets another shot that catches Oettinger in the shoulder and looked to sting a bit. It looks Caufield is using this game to celebrate his Milwaukee Brewers winning the World Series. * No goals on the power play, but they had the Stars on their heels for two minutes, and that’s more than they usually manage. * The Stars gets a power play as Josh Anderson is called for holding Mikke Rantanen after the puck was dumped behind Montreal’s defence. Add that to the list of completely unnecessary penalties the Canadiens have taken this season. * Dallas capitalizes on the bad penalty, with a bumper goal from Wyatt Johnston. * Noah Dobson plays a wide two-on-one perfectly, defending the middle and intercepting the pass. * At the end of the shift, Dobson finds Newhook with a diagonal pass up to the Stars’ blue line. Newhook bursts through the defence and tucks the puck around Oettinger to make it 2-1. Beautiful pass by Noah Dobson, and Alex Newhook just does the rest with speed. 2-1 #Habs pic.twitter.com/9CXqZ2a4Yw— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 30, 2026 * That may have been Dobson’s greatest shift as a Canadien. * The top line stays on the ice after the goal. Adam Engström jumps up and fires a puck off the post, but Caufield is again at the side of the net to knock the puck over the line just before a Stars defenceman scoops it back out. Two goals and a post for Caufield. Cole Caufield just barely gets this one over the line, 3-1 #Habs pic.twitter.com/DARRreSJqI— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 30, 2026 * Evans plays the puck deep and tries to go after it but gets tackled at centre ice. Seems like a fairly easy call for the officials to make, but they must feel Dallas is having a tough enough time as it is. * The crowd is completely silent as the horn sounds on the opening period, one that started with a couple of great shifts from the home team, and then got taken over by the visitors. Second period * No change in the way Montreal’s playing in the middle frame. They’re still pressuring the defence. * The forechecking pressure leads to another Montreal power play as Florian Xhekaj is tripped at the blue line following a Stars turnover. * A Dobson shot from the point hits Oettinger in the shoulder and the goalie doesn’t know where the puck is. Newhook does — sitting just to the side of the net — and he now has two goals on the night as well. A fortuitous bounce after a Noah Dobson shot gives Alex Newhook his second of the night, 4-1 #Habs pic.twitter.com/s6mSGBVLXo— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 30, 2026 * Not exactly the low-scoring game I predicted in the preview, but this is much better. * The Canadiens botch a couple of chances to clear the puck, and they’re unable to recover. After a scramble to get a shift change, the Stars come right back in the zone and Jamie Benn fires the puck off the post and in to make it a 4-2 game. * Another sequence of failures to clear the puck ends in Carrier taking a holding the stick penalty. They need to focus on those more if they’re going to maintain this lead. * The Canadiens haven’t figure out how to defend the pass from the wing to the bumper, and Dobeš just needed to make two big saves on that set play. * Montreal has settled things down since the stretch of poor clears, and has gone back on offence again. * Each team scored a goal and shots were 7-6 Dallas in the period, so all in all a fair defence of their multi-goal lead, but they really need to keep that Stars power play off the ice. Third period * Caufield mesmerizes Dallas with some stickhandles as he carried the puck low to high, leaving the left wing open for a shot from Dobson. Oettinger has to make an important stop seconds into the frame. * Dobson is having an excellent game at both ends. * If you ignore the last game in St. Louis. this coming out in the third with a lead and playing keepaway from the trailing opponent is starting to become a trend for the Canadiens. That’s very encouraging. * It’s also encouraging to see Caufield developing new tactics on defence and the forecheck. He just went into the corner with his stick on one side of a defenceman and his body on the other trying to pin him and win the puck. * A bad giveaway from Kapanen puts Arber Xhekaj under pressure, and the defenceman ends up getting an interference penalty while playing the puck back toward his goal line. That takes real talent. * I think the ref knows it wasn’t the right call, because the Stars go off for interference on a pick play seconds after their power play ends. You don’t see that called versus a trailing team. * Montreal missed a chance to regain a three-goal lead but never really getting set up in the offensive zone. * But now there are about nine minutes to play. This requires a disciplined finish. * Slafkovský just got hit by a Carrier point shot in the arm and is feeling it. Hopefully it’s nothing serious, but he’s in pain on the bench. * Chris Kreider has his stick slashed in half by Lian Bichsel. This is a chance to put the game away. * Caufield and Zachary Bolduc each had a good chance from close range. No goal, but two minutes off the clock. * Evans gets a pass, has Oettinger beat, and goes backhand, but he sends the puck just over the crossbar. He was sure he had that one. * A well-timed stick intervention by Caufield keeps his strong defensive night going. * Just 19 shots for the Stars with 74 seconds to play. Montreal needed that type of performance after last game. * Evans and Phillip Danault gang up on Rantanen in the neutral zone, and strip the puck for a two-on-zero. Evans sends the puck over to Danault, who tucks the puck in and will seal this victory. * The Canadiens started this road trip with their first multi-goal win of the year, and they end it with a third. They’re starting to learn how to play as a team, and it will be a lot of fun to see them with Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov back in. * The team heads home to Montreal where it will face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, where they will have an opportunity to improve to 20 points through one-sixth. EOTP 3 Stars 3) That should clear up the issue 2) They would do great things with him playing like that 1) A big promotion calls for his evolved form

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 3d ago

Canadiens @ Stars: Game thread, lines, and how to watch #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens @ Stars: Game thread, lines, and how to watch

How to watch Game 13: Montreal Canadiens @ Dallas Stars Start time: **8:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM PDT** In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Stars region: Prime Video Streaming: TSN+, RDS (Canada), ESPN+ (USA) The first time the Montreal Canadiens met the Dallas Stars last season, things didn’t go well. The game finished 7-0 for the Stars, and was the second match in a five-game losing streak in mid-November. In the game that was played in Dallas in early January, Montreal claimed a 4-3 overtime win, with the late heroics provided by Lane Hutson. More of the latter is the hope in this game, though four goals may not be on offer versus a strong defensive squad. Instead, the Habs will have to capitalize on their chances, which might be more odd-man rushes on the penalty kill if the past few games are any indication. Jakub Dobeš needs to get back on track, and this is the ideal time to do so when the Canadiens are outclassed by a superior opponent on paper. There is some offensive firepower in the Stars lineup even if Mikko Rantanen is the only one who has really shown that ability so far this season, so Dobeš and the defence will need to be ready. Montreal Canadiens projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-hqqs{background-color:#BE2F37;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing #13 Cole Caufield #15 Alex Newhook #20 Juraj Slafkovský #76 Zachary Bolduc #24 Phillip Danault #85 Alexandre Texier #22 Chris Kreider #91 Oliver Kapanen #17 Josh Anderson #63 Florian Xhekaj #71 Jake Evans #77 Kirby Dach .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-2rkt{background-color:#21386F;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence #48 Lane Hutson #53 Noah Dobson #21 Kaiden Guhle #8 Mike Matheson #42 Adam Engström #45 Alexandre Carrier .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-fx6j{background-color:#FFF;border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup #75 Jakub Dobeš #32 Jacob Fowler Injured: Ivan Demidov, Samuel Montembeault, Nick Suzuki Scratched: Owen Beck, Arber Xhekaj Dallas Stars projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-bmkl{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing Sam Steel Wyatt Johnston Mikko Rantanen Jason Robertson Roope Hintz Tyler Seguin Joel Kiviranta Arttu Hyry Jamie Benn Colin Blackwell Justin Hryckowian Matthew Seminoff .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence Thomas Harley Miro Heiskanen Lian Bichsel Nils Lundkvist Trey Taylor Tyler Myers .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup Jake Oettinger Casey DeSmith

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Canadiens @ Stars: Game preview, start time, Tale of the Tape, and how to watch #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens @ Stars: Game preview, start time, Tale of the Tape, and how to watch

How to watch Game 13: Montreal Canadiens @ Dallas Stars Start time: **8:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM PDT** In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Stars region: Prime Video Streaming: TSN+, RDS (Canada), ESPN+ (USA) Jacob Fowler almost single-handedly beat the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. He was steady in an even opening period, great in the middle frame when St. Louis started to control the possession, and spectacular in the final 20 minutes as the Blues upped the tempo with 24 shots to run the total to 46 on the night. Fowler faced 20 high-danger scoring chances and stopped them all, and even had a go at the empty net looking to personally outscore his opponent. Fowler’s performance all season and especially the past two games had to be rewarded with the Saturday night game at the Bell Centre, so that means Jakub Dobeš will be in net today to wrap up this four-game road trip. He watched on while Fowler helped the club claim the first three games on the road trip, and he can help it go a perfect four-for-four, which seemed unlikely when Nick Suzuki left his equipment at home at the start of this journey. It’s not Fowler’s performance that Dobeš needs to be concerned with tonight, but that of Jake Oettinger, who has been similarly impressive to begin the 2026-27 campaign. Oettinger holds a .929 save percentage through nine starts, and three of them have ended in shutouts. Tale of the Tape .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-hqqs{background-color:#BE2F37;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Canadiens Statistics Stars 7-3-2 Record 7-4-1 51.5% (14th) Expected-goal share 55.7% (6th) 3.00 (17th) Goals per game 2.67 (25th) 3.00 (12th) Goals against per game 2.00 (1st) 5.7% (30th) Net PP% 18.5% (16th) 85.7% (11th) Net PK% 95.2% (2nd) 1-1-0 Head-to-Head Record 25-26 1-0-1 Cole Caufield (6) Most goals Mikko Rantanen (6) Hutson/Suzuki (7) Most assists Rantanen/Robertson (8) Nick Suzuki (12) Most points Mikko Rantanen (14) Oettinger has generally been less busy than Fowler was on Tuesday; the Stars allow an average of just 22.2 shots per game, fractionally more than the top-ranked Carolina Hurricanes at 21.9. The defence doesn’t give up a great deal of chances, and with their goalie playing at his top form that has resulted in a goals-against average of just 2.00. The Canadiens’ will he hard-pressed to hit even that total while missing two top-six forwards. That’s something the coaching staff recognized after the team scored a total of four goals the past two games, and made an adjustment: Alex Newhook will get his turn between Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský. Oliver Kapanen’s shooting skill didn’t allow that unit to generate many chances, especially without last change on the road, so perhaps Newhook’s speed and playmaking can help the line score a big goal this evening. It’s tough to ask for a better performance from the offence given the current state of the Habs and form of the Stars, but more will be required defensively. Tuesday was a particularly rough night for the pairing of Adam Engström and Alexandre Carrier, with Carrier on for 33 of St. Louis’s 56 total shot attempts and 18 of the 31 shots at five-on-five despite playing just 13:46. It’s fair to say we won’t be seeing that pairing again tonight, and Arber Xhekaj will likely make his return. The good news in this matchup is that Dallas has been a low-event team, below average in shots taken and scoring just 2.67 goals per game. It seems their approach to competing in the Central Division is to shut opponents down rather than going toe-to-toe with offensive forces like the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild. The signs point to another low-scoring game this evening, but that depends on how the Canadiens fare on their own side of centre ice.

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 3d ago

Thursday Habs Headlines: Jacob Fowler rewrites the record books #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Thursday Habs Headlines: Jacob Fowler rewrites the record books

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * Jacob Fowler’s shutout against the St. Louis Blues set a Canadiens rookie record for most saves in a single game. [NHL] * With Fowler’s white-hot play and the defensive team jelling, the Canadiens have little reason to worry while Nick Suzuki recovers from injury. [Montreal Gazette] * A Dylan Larkin trade to Montreal would hinge on the Detroit Red Wings finding out whether he’d be willing to join the Canadiens. [Sportsnet] * Jakub Dobeš, who hasn’t played since allowing four goals on 26 shots on Oct. 20, will be back between the pipes against the Dallas Stars tonight. [Montreal Gazette] * After notching his first NHL goal on Tuesday, Florian and Arber Xhekaj can now say they’re the first brothers to have scored with the Tricolore since the 2007-2008 season. [Journal de Montreal] Around the league and elsewhere * Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman is heading back to the injured reserve. [Sportsnet] * Matthew Schaefer’s high expectations of himself are showing in his strong sophomore start with the New York Islanders [Sportsnet] * The NHL’s salary cap ceiling could reach a whopping 44 per cent increase by 2029-30. [Sportsnet] * Jonathan Lekkerimäki says his familiarity with Manny Malhotra’s system has played a big part in his strong start with the Vancouver Canucks. [NHL] * The St. Louis Blues will honor legendary rocker and longtime Blues fan Ozzy Osbourne with a special bobblehead giveaway. [NHL] * Grading the Toronto Maple Leafs one month into the season. [Sportsnet] * Calgary Flames rookie Matvei Gridin hopes to keep his impressive play going in the first Battle of Alberta of the season.[NHL] * Flames general manager Craig Conroy has opened talks on a potential extension with pending UFA Morgan Frost. [TSN]

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 4d ago

Bottom Six Minutes: A statement game from Jacob Fowler #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Bottom Six Minutes: A statement game from Jacob Fowler

When you’re outshot 46-20 in a National Hockey League game, you can rarely expect to have any additional points in the standings at the end of the night. That is precisely what happened to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues, as they struggled mightily to limit opportunities towards their net. We’ve seen the Habs win more than a few games that follow this script, but the problem is that the majority of such wins in recent memory came with the great Carey Price between the pipes. They don’t have him anymore. But they do have Jacob “Gator” Fowler, and in case you didn’t know, Gator don’t play no shit. GOOD LORD, GATOR. https://t.co/WlUD45Gjqs— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 28, 2026 Over half of the Blues’ shots came in the third period, where the Habs were in their frustratingly porous lead-defense mode. Fowler turned in one of the most impressive periods of work you’ll ever see from a 21-year-old rookie goaltender, turning away 24 shots in that period alone, many of which came during an extended six-on-five with the Blues’ net empty. It wasn’t just the saves. It was the scrambles, the secondary opportunities he denied. He was square to just about anything the Blues threw at him, even if he was already compromised. On the rare occasions where he wasn’t, he was tracking the puck and managed to get a pad out to stop whatever came next. It was an absolute goaltending clinic. Jacob Fowler. That’s it. That’s the tweet. https://t.co/uPnjy6rK1F— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 28, 2026 It was a statement. He has staked his claim not just for a permanent NHL roster spot, but for the official starting job in Montreal. Things can change rapidly, but right now he leads the entire league in goals-saved-above-expected, and is in the top four for save percentage, goals against average, and shutouts. What he’s doing to start this season isn’t just NHL-worthy, it is elite goaltending. You cannot even begin to entertain the idea of placing him back in the American league when he’s giving you performances that many teams around the league would kill for. He has been considered for some time as the heir apparent to Carey Price, and we may just be witnessing his ascent to that throne right now. 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 after the Habs pay a visit to the Dallas Stars.

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 4d ago

Canadiens @ Blues Top Six Minutes: Jacob Fowler steals a win in St. Louis #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens @ Blues Top Six Minutes: Jacob Fowler steals a win in St. Louis

First period * Cole Caufield tries to fool Jordan Binnington with a wrong-footed shot from mid range. The goalie reacts in time to get his blocker on it. * Kaiden Guhle sends the puck toward the net through a screen. It hits Jake Evans and then the post, and Evans can’t get his stick free to knock it in as it settle just outside the crease. A good cycling shift from the fourth line early, and almost a three-game point for Guhle. * A strong follow-up from Alex Newhook’s trio, and the Habs are suddenly up to five shots. * It’s a rare occurrence, but the Habs’ pressure results in a power play as Mike Matheson gets hauled down to prevent him for keeping the forecheck going on the Blues’ defence. Montreal has zero power plays on Sunday, but draws one in the opening six minutes tonight. * It’s very aggressive Blues penalty kill, as you’d expect from a club with three short-handed goals. * St. Louis breaks out just as the penalty expires, but Jacob Fowler calmly defuses a dangerous situation with a bread-basket stop. * The Habs get Binnington down and out, but Florian Xhekaj can’t corral the puck to get it over him. * Noah Dobson makes a poor decision to pinch up with three forward standing along the Blues’ blue line, but Oliver Kapanen reads the situation to intercept the puck in the neutral zone. Potentially a goal-saving play from the temporary 1C. * Jake Neighbours gets left open and hits the post from the slot to even the teams up on the ping count. * On a delayed hooking call on Kapanen, Jonatan Breggren skates to the net as Adam Engström tries to slow him down and crashes into Fowler, knocking him into the net. Fowler seems fine, and is able to defend on the penalty kill. * Alex Newhook misjudges Josh Anderson’s speed by just a step in trying to set up the latest short-handed breakaway for Montreal. * Montreal came out strong with six shots early, though finished the period with just eight. Overall, I would say the period was relatively even between the two teams. Second period * A rough shift from the top line sees the puck in Montreal’s zone for well over a minute. * Getting the puck into the offensive zone, the Canadiens earn a power play when Berggren closes his hand on the puck to escape the speed of Newhook and Anderson. * Montreal managed little of anything on that power play. * It’s been all St. Louis since the puck dropped to start this period. They’re just skating harder and getting to the puck first. * Montreal gets bailed out again with a Blues penalty against the run of play. Can they do something with this power play? * The top unit couldn’t find space to get shots, but the second unit did on a high-quality cross-zone pass from Matheson right to the stick of Zachary Bolduc for a sharp-angle one-timer that opens the scoring. Mike Matheson with a nice cross-seam pass to Zach Bolduc, and he snipes it. 1-0 #Habs pic.twitter.com/QPKJkDGOA7— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 28, 2026 * Now you know a Blues power play is imminent, so the Habs need to be prepared. * St. Louis goes right back to outworking the Habs following the goal. * Montreal gets its best five-on-five shift with the top line, thanks to Juraj Slafkovský, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson all elevating to the level the Blues are playing at to win some 50/50 battles. * Chris Kreider doesn’t skate out a pending icing and as a result there’s a faceoff in Montreal’s zone. Moments after the puck drops, Guhle is called for hooking. That situation could have been avoided with a couple more strides from the veteran, emblematic of the way the team has played in general in this middle frame. * Now Guhle is going off for cross-checking, one relatively light shove after he’d knocked his man down, like you see on almost every shift. * It took St. Louis 1:30 to even get the puck over the blue line, and they never got a shot when they finally did. The penalty kill has been good, even with Guhle watching from centre ice. * It’s a bit of a miracle that the shot differential is only five after that period, and that Montreal somehow had nine of them. St. Louis won that period by a wide margin in terms of play, but Montreal outscored them 1-0. Turning the tables from how things often went early in the season. I don’t think one goal will be enough to see this one out, however, so they need to find a way to establish some offensive-zone time in the final 20. Third period * The Canadiens kill off the final seconds of Guhle’s penalty with a clear. * St. Louis hits another post, a tip in the high slot that almost evened the score at a goal apiece, but Montreal survives it. * Fowler makes a good lateral stop on the latest Blues chance, and Guhle slides in to sweep a loose puck sitting in the crease back into his pads. * Florian Xhekaj sets a screen in front of Jordan Binnington. He misses the puck on an attempted tip of the incoming shot, but the puck bounces off Binnington’s glove, and Xhekaj reaches over the goalie and taps it just enough to get it over the goal line. It’s his first NHL goal. First NHL goal for Florian Xhekaj makes it 2-0 #Habs pic.twitter.com/tsmluJUGfx— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 28, 2026 * So this is the eighth game with a two-goal lead in 12 matches. This is the most improbably of them all. * Alexandre Texier sets a screen on the next shift and wishes he hadn’t. Mike Matheson’s shot hits him square in the cup. * Kreider blocks a Blues shot right off the top of his foot, and he crawls to the bench. * Fowler makes a sequence of three stops on point-blank chances. Now he really looks like Carey Price. * Shots are listed as 11-1 St. Louis in this period. The Canadiens actually had two on the Xhekaj goal, but that’s a minor detail. * St. Louis is beginning to panic a bit with the clock winding down and getting a little careless with its passes. There could be a chance for a counter. * The Blues pull Binnington with seven minutes to play, which seems extreme given how the Blues are generating not just shots but high-danger scoring chances. * Montreal has iced the puck twice looking for a long-distance goal. I really don’t know why the Blues are tempting fate like this. It also makes Montreal think it’s on a penalty kill, and that situation has been to their advantage all night. * Binnington is back in the net after the final TV timeout. * Fowler took a chance with the net empty, but couldn’t get it past the defencemen at the blue line. * Another icing comes after St. Louis’s 42nd shot, with under two minutes to play. * Save #44, a lunging pad save on an eight-foot shot, sends the Blues over the edge and they storm the crease. Bodies fly everywhere as the Canadiens fling them away from their rookie netminder. * The crowd is booing, but it would be pretty hard for St. Louis to play any better than it did tonight. You just have to tip your cap to the opposing goalie. * Now 3-0 on the road trip, the Canadiens will try to make it a perfect four-for-four on Thursday in Dallas. It’s fair to say they need to play a lot better than they did in this game. EOTP 3 Stars 3) He can make a career on that type of play 2) And all these spectators right up against the glass? Distracting! 1) 700 more games to practise and he’ll get the hang of it

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 4d ago

Canadiens @ Blues: Game thread, lines, and how to watch #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens @ Blues: Game thread, lines, and how to watch

How to watch Game 12: Montreal Canadiens @ St. Louis Blues Start time: **8:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM PDT** In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Blues region: STLNHL Streaming: TSN+, RDS (Canada), ESPN+ (USA) If the Canadiens were hoping for a game to get their power play going, it probably isn’t going to be tonight. The St. Louis Blues are among the top penalty-killing squads in the NHL, not only holding opponents to five goals through 11 games, but scoring three times while short-handed as well. They’ve taken advantage of their opportunities while down a man where Montreal continues to have issues making teams pay for putting all their offensive players out at once, adding multiple odd-man rushes at four-on-five in Winnipeg on Sunday on which they were unable to convert. Despite the overall lack of special-teams production, the Canadiens go into tonight’s match having won two games in a row to begin the road trip. They have only allowed two goals total so far, and they don’t need a great deal of offence to get wins in that scenario. They have once more turned to Jacob Fowler for this contest (though it seemed like the best opportunity to get Jakub Dobes back in on the road trip) to try to keep the opponent’s total low enough that the injured forward corps can get enough goals for the two points. The forward lines remain the same from Sunday’s win in the Heritage Classic, but Adam Engström will play in Arber Xhekaj’s place as there is a new rotation for the final defence spot even with Jayden Struble traded. Engström will be paired with the reliable Alexandre Carrier this evening, leaving Kaiden Guhle and Mike Matheson to take the main shutdown minutes versus Robert Thomas’s top line and the red-hot Mason McTavish. Montreal Canadiens projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-hqqs{background-color:#BE2F37;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing #13 Cole Caufield #91 Oliver Kapanen #20 Juraj Slafkovský #76 Zachary Bolduc #24 Phillip Danault #85 Alexandre Texier #22 Chris Kreider #15 Alex Newhook #17 Josh Anderson #63 Florian Xhekaj #71 Jake Evans #77 Kirby Dach .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-2rkt{background-color:#21386F;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence #48 Lane Hutson #53 Noah Dobson #21 Kaiden Guhle #8 Mike Matheson #42 Adam Engström #45 Alexandre Carrier .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-fx6j{background-color:#FFF;border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup #32 Jacob Fowler #75 Jakub Dobeš Injured: Ivan Demidov, Samuel Montembeault, Nick Suzuki Scratched: Owen Beck, Arber Xhekaj St. Louis Blues projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-bmkl{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing Dylan Holloway Robert Thomas Jimmy Snuggerud Connor McMichael Mason McTavish Jonatan Berggren Jake Neighbours Dalibor Dvorsky Pavel Buchnevich Alexey Toropchenko Pius Suter Aleksanteri Kaskimaki .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence Philip Broberg Brandon Carlo Cam Fowler Colton Parayko Justin Barron Adam Jiricek .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup Jordan Binnington Joel Hofer

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 5d ago

Canadiens @ Blues: Game preview, start time, Tale of the Tape, and how to watch #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens @ Blues: Game preview, start time, Tale of the Tape, and how to watch

How to watch Game 12: Montreal Canadiens @ St. Louis Blues Start time: **8:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM PDT** In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Blues region: STLNHL Streaming: TSN+, RDS (Canada), ESPN+ (USA) Two games into a road trip the Montreal Canadiens learned they’d be embarking upon without their captain, they have already guaranteed themselves at least a .500 performance. A sound effort in Chicago was followed up with a relatively steady one in Winnipeg for the Heritage Classic, where Jacob Fowler made up for all but one of the minor defensive mistakes in the final half of the game. The Canadiens did well to get out to a multi-goal lead for the seventh time in 11 games, and held on for the two points. The trip has taken the Canadiens south to St. Louis where they’re looking for a third consecutive victory. The Blues were one of just two teams Montreal didn’t take a point from in 2025-26 (along with the San Jose Sharks), and issues that have affected the team this year were the responsible for the two regulation losses. In the opening match, a one-goal lead turned into a one-goal deficit through just 65 seconds of the second period, and the Canadiens were unable to recover. The power play failed them in the second game, unable to convert on four power-plays including a long five-on-three, and stood as one of the four shutout performance they were dealt in an otherwise great offensive season. Tale of the Tape .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-hqqs{background-color:#BE2F37;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Canadiens Statistics Blues 6-3-2 Record 5-5-1 54.3% (9th) Expected-goal share 49.1% (16th) 3.09 (16th) Goals per game 3.18 (13th) 3.27 (21st) Goals against per game 3.18 (16th) 6.3% (30th) Net PP% 17.2% (20th) 84.8% (13th) Net PK% 93.1% (4th) 0-2-0 Head-to-Head Record 25-26 2-0-0 Cole Caufield (6) Most goals McTavish/Snuggerud (6) Hutson/Suzuki (7) Most assists Dylan Holloway (7) Nick Suzuki (12) Most points McTavish/Holloway (10) St. Louis was only shut out on two occasions in 2025-26, but they scored two goals or fewer on 36 occasions, ranking 24th in goals with just 230. That output wasn’t nearly enough to contend in the Central Division, and the off-season was spent attempting to address it. After a season of rumours and a disappointing 46 points after four years contributing around 70, Jordan Kyrou was traded to the Washington Capitals, netting Connor McMichael along with a first-round pick. St. Louis was also the team that landed Mason McTavish, another player long rumoured to be on the trading block, with that outcome in Anaheim only made more likely when McTavish was a healthy scratch for a couple of games in the post-season. So far both trades are working out well. McMichael has seven points in 11 games, while McTavish shares the team lead with Jimmy Snuggerud for goals with six, and is even with Dylan Holloway on 10 points. That offence has been important as Robert Thomas, annually the team’s top scorer, has gotten off to a slow start without Kyrou on his wing, with just six points. The newcomers have helped the Blues begin the season with a 5-5-1 record, not good enough to hold a playoff position, but at least holding them in the race early.

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 5d ago

Tuesday Habs Headlines: Rising Star #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Tuesday Habs Headlines: Rising Star

Montreal Canadiens News and Notes * Why Jacob Fowler should be Montreal’s starter. [Montreal Gazette] * Fowler named the NHL third star of the week. [Canadiens] * Should Fowler continue to play as he has, he could become one of the few goalies to win the Calder. [TVA Sports] * Fowler and Lane Hutson are similar in the ability to anticipate and analyze play. [TVA Sports] * Phillip Danault is, once again, proving of utmost value to Montreal. [The Athletic] * Sasha Pastujov is lighting it up in Laval. [Montreal Gazette] * Claude Lemieux elected to the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame. [TVA Sports] * The good, the bad, and the ugly thus far for the Habs without their captain. [La Presse] Around the League and Elsewhere * John Chayka says that Easton Cowan is everything you’d want in a Leaf. [TSN | Sportsnet] * Connor McDavid continues to improve, somehow. [TSN] * Connor Hellebuyck is excited to get going with his new team. [Sportsnet] * After missing out on Connor Hellebuyck, the Sabres still haven’t made a big move. [Yahoo Sports] * The Hurricanes still appear to be the the best of the best. [Sportsnet] * Drew Doughty wants to keep playing and to keep playing with the Kings. [TVA Sports] * Taking a look at the teams on Dylan Larkin’s trade list and figuring out who can actually make such a trade happen. [The Athletic]

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 5d ago

Canadiens vs Blues: Time to Take CONTROL and Stop Hanging On! | PuckTalk MTL Pre-Game We look at #Habs vs #Blues, the matchups, key players to watch & what Montreal must do to deliver a full60-minute performance. http://dlvr.it/TW4HzX #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens #PuckTalkMTL

Bottom Six Minutes: Jacob Fowler dominates the Heritage Classic #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Bottom Six Minutes: Jacob Fowler dominates the Heritage Classic

At the Heritage Classic on Sunday evening, for the second game in a row, the Montreal Canadiens took the dreaded two-goal lead into the third period. Also for the second game in a row, they managed to hold it, this time quite narrowly with a 2-1 final score against the Winnipeg Jets. We know from last year how the Habs like playing on the road, and they have now kicked off this four-game road trip with two consecutive regulation wins, getting back to their road warrior ways. This one likely wouldn’t have happened without Jacob Fowler, who looked virtually unbeatable. Gator don’t play no shit. Gator never been about that. Never been about playing no shit. https://t.co/7QJjSk6wzE— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 26, 2026 High-danger scoring chances were actually quite close on the night at even strength, but the difficulty of Fowler’s task was complicated by four power plays given to Winnipeg against a goose egg for Montreal. That is a whole separate issue that needs to be addressed, but it didn’t matter thanks in no small part to Fowler. It was one of the better nights the penalty killers have had this season, which certainly helped, but they needed their goaltender to step up, and he did. Frankly, this was a goaltending clinic. He was calm, square to every shooter, quick to track any lateral movement, and in complete command of the crease. He picked his spots very well in coming out of the crease to play the puck, often helping his defenders to start transition in so doing. About a month from his 22nd birthday, he showed the poise of a veteran goaltender, and probably deserved to earn his second shutout of this young season. He was supposed to start this season in Laval, but Samuel Montembeault’s injury necessitated a call-up. Since then, Fowler has looked every bit like this team’s best chance to win, night-in and night-out. We may once again be headed to the uncomfortable situation of three goaltenders on the roster, but I just can’t see how the decision could be made to forgo what Fowler is bringing to the table right now. If you want to ride the hot hand, I think you want him in net as much as possible with the big club. 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 Tuesday night, when the road trip will continue in Missouri against the St. Louis Blues.

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Monday Habs Headlines: Old memories at the Heritage Classic #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Monday Habs Headlines: Old memories at the Heritage Classic

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * Having fond memories of outdoor rinks as a kid, Martin St. Louis is excited about taking part in the Heritage Classic. [NHL] * Former Habs players share memories about the Canadiens’ first Heritage Classic in 2003. [Hockey I/O] * Habs players share memories of playing on outdoor rinks growing up. [Journal de Montreal] * Both the Canadiens and Jets are looking to have fun at the Heritage Classic but also be the one to grab those two important Atlantic Division points. [NHL] * Points are the goal, but St. Louis made sure his team took advantage of the outdoor rink to spend precious moments with their family. [Journal de Montreal] * Chris Kreider wasn’t as enthusiastic as his teammates heading into the Heritage Classic. [Sportsnet] * In the second entry of his Heritage Classic blog, Jake Evans writes about adjusting to the outdoor rink and sharing the experience with his family. [NHL] Around the league and elsewhere * Gary Bettman has sold out Canadian hockey fans, making the price too high to watch hockey on television. [Toronto Sun] * Thirty-eight-year-old goalie James Reimer signed a one-year contract with the New York Rangers. [NHL] * With no more Connor Hellebuyck talk, a new era of Winnipeg Jets hockey can begin. [NHL] * Unless the standings improve quickly, trade chatter will soon heat up again around Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Zach Werenski. [Sportsnet] * The 2026 Sudbury Celebrity Hockey Classic raised $192K for Easter Seals Ontario. [Sudbury News] * NHL Foundation, PWHL stars, and NHL alum teamed up for a girls’ youth hockey clinic put on by Hockey in New Jersey. [NHL] * Highlighting some of the surprises, good and bad, of the NHL season so far. [Oilers Nation] * How the Calgary Flames turned a weakness into the NHL’s third-best power play. [Calgary Herald]

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Canadiens Survive a Late Jets Push to WIN the Heritage Classic | PuckTalk MTL Post-Game The #Habs survived a late Winnipeg Jets push to WIN the Heritage Classic—thanks to Jacob Fowler! http://dlvr.it/TW3cGT #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens #PuckTalkMTL #HeritageClassic

PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 7d ago

2026 Heritage Classic Top Six Minutes: Jacob Fowler leads Montreal’s win over Winnipeg #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

2026 Heritage Classic Top Six Minutes: Jacob Fowler leads Montreal’s win over Winnipeg

First period * The jerseys look great on the outdoor rink, though the bright white of the board ads is spoiling the presentation a bit. * Montreal starts quickly with the third line, with Josh Anderson and Kaiden Guhle looking sharp to begin. * Jacob Fowler makes a toe save on a two-and-one, and fortunately the rebound he kicked out to the other wing was sent wide. * Florian Xhekaj looks very excited to play his first outdoor game. He’s flying on the ice. * A rare moment of sustained pressure against the Canadiens is survived. Winnipeg is working the puck along the end boards well. * The Jets allowed Arber Xhekaj to walk down the wall as they marked all the forwards, so he just carried the puck to the net for a point-blank chance. * Winnipeg is taking over the momentum as the period goes on. * The ice surface may not be perfectly smooth, but it looks almost as good with six minutes to play as it did to begin the game. * Viggo Björck dumps the puck in, then Alexandre Carrier steps over to block his lane. That’s interference, and a Jets power play. * Alex Newhook gets a short-handed breakaway — a common occurrence on penalty kills for Montreal recently — but he sent the puck wide. * A strong start for Montreal, but they were outplayed in the second half. Second period * Cole Caufield gets a breakaway, and he misses the net. That does happen much too frequently for Montreal. * The teams are having a tough time getting anything going in this period. * Florian goes in on a rush. He sends the shot wide, but the Canadiens use the opportunity to set up in the offensive zone. After wearing down the Jets, Caufield jumps over the boards and carries the puck across the top of the zone. That lets both Noah Dobson and Lane Hutson jump up on the play, and the two defencemen connect on a cross-crease pass to open the scoring. Incredible cycle work leads to Noah Dobson feeding Lane Hutson for the opening goal!— Scott Matla (@callmescort.bsky.social) 2026-10-26T00:33:47.321Z * Newcomer Dawson Mercer elects to shoot on a two-on-one, and Fowler makes a blocker save. * Caufield is once again the hardest-skating player on the ice to win a loose puck. He sends it to the blue line, and through a screen, Kaiden Guhle scores his second goal in two games. Kaiden Guhle from way downtown and it's 2-0 Habs!— Scott Matla (@callmescort.bsky.social) 2026-10-26T00:45:36.511Z * Two-goal lead equals Montreal penalty. Newhook goes off for high-sticking. * Anderson shoot on a short-handed two-on-one. It requires a save, but Skinner makes it with his shoulder. The Habs go two-for-two on the penalty kill with the most dangerous chances. * Montreal did great to get up 2-0, but they’re giving the Jets too much space as they shift to a defensive mindset. Third period * The Habs arre playing the puck in the offensive zone, and that’s what you want to see. * Kirby Dach uses his reach to spin the puck from the side of the crease looking to tuck it five-hole, but Skinner closes it down. * Shots are 2-1 Montreal through five minutes. Just about ideal. * Kyle Lowry steps backward onto Newhook’s stick and goes down, and Newhook is off to the box again despite defending pretty well. * Evans and Danault get the latest short-handed two-on-one, Evans tried a pass, and that probably wasn’t the right decision. * Fowler makes a save on Mark Scheifele’s cross-ice one-timer look routine. * Kirby Dach has to reach for the puck and can’t hold his stick firm enough to get a proper deflection on the second odd-man rush. * Winnipeg gets its first shot in several minutes, a one-time slapshot that disappears into Fowler’s crest. That has to be pretty discouraging for an opponent. * Scheifele shakes a defenceman, earns some space in the slot, and Fowler nonchalantly gloves a shot heading past his ear and turns away in disgust. * The Habs fans in attendance get out two choruses of “Olé!” before the Jets make it 2-1. Isak Rosen one-timed it over the shoulder of Fowler. * Fowler gets fooled for the first time with a puck that comes out on the opposite side of the net than he was expecting, but the puck hit his pad and bounced away. * Scheifele gets tripped by Anderson in the neutral zone, another case of a desperate stick check with help behind. The Jets receive a fourth power play of the game. * Evans gets one last clear and the remaining second tick off the clock. They didn’t hold the two-goal lead, but they did hang on for the win. * Montreal now has 14 points through 11 games, a 107-point pace. Considering how many they should have had besides, that’s a pretty decent haul. * The Habs will enjoy this win, and make the trip to St. Louis to play the Blues on Tuesday. EOTP 3 Stars 3) A really great look on the ice 2) It’s their most dangerous situation 1) An interesting idea

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2026 Heritage Classic: Canadiens @ Jets — Game thread, lines, and how to watch #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

2026 Heritage Classic: Canadiens @ Jets — Game thread, lines, and how to watch

How to watch Game 11: 2026 Heritage Classic — Montreal Canadiens @ Winnipeg Jets Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French) In the United States: TNT, truTV Streaming: Sportsnet+, TVA Sports+ (Canada), HBO Max (USA) The Canadiens and Jets will hit the outdoor rink for a grand spectacle this evening, contesting the 2026 Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. While it’s meant as a showcase event for the league, the game still counts the same as any other, and both clubs need the two points available. Montreal has left more than a few points on the table already from incomplete efforts and wants to get on a roll. The Jets, meanwhile, haven’t won a game since October 13 and are trying to get things turned around before falling well back in the Central Division order. The Canadiens will ice a lineup for the game almost the same as the one that got a win in Chicago on Friday, including Jacob Fowler getting the start again, with the difference being Florian Xhekaj stepping in on the fourth line for Owen Beck. Xhekaj’s more physical approach will be a benefit versus Winnipeg, and Oliver Kapanen’s performance last game gave enough confidence that he can excel in his minutes without needing to dress a backup centre option. The fourth line had a great game on Friday, while Josh Anderson is always good versus the Jets, and Phillip Danault’s trio has been consistently effective all year. If the top line without Nick Suzuki can round out the formation, it’s going to be difficult for Winnipeg to snap its four-game losing streak. Montreal Canadiens projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-hqqs{background-color:#BE2F37;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing #13 Cole Caufield #91 Oliver Kapanen #20 Juraj Slafkovský #22 Chris Kreider #15 Alex Newhook #17 Josh Anderson #76 Zachary Bolduc #24 Phillip Danault #85 Alexandre Texier #63 Florian Xhekaj #71 Jake Evans #77 Kirby Dach .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-2rkt{background-color:#21386F;border-width:1px;color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence #48 Lane Hutson #8 Mike Matheson #21 Kaiden Guhle #45 Alexandre Carrier #72 Arber Xhekaj #53 Noah Dobson .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-fx6j{background-color:#FFF;border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup #32 Jacob Fowler #75 Jakub Dobeš Injured: Ivan Demidov, Samuel Montembeault, Nick Suzuki Scratched: Owen Beck, Adam Engström Winnipeg Jets projected lineup .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-bmkl{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Wing Centre Right Wing Kyle Connor Mark Scheifele Cole Perfetti Alex Iafallo Viggo Björck Gabe Vilardi Isak Rosen Adam Lowry Dawson Mercer Nino Niederreider Morgan Barron Cole Koepke .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Left Defence Right Defence Dylan Samberg Neal Pionk Mario Ferraro Elias Salomonsson Haydn Fleury Dylan DeMelo .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;} .tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;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:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;} .tg .tg-sezu{border-width:1px;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} .tg .tg-zsd7{border-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom} Starter Backup Stuart Skinner Nico Daws

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PuckTalk MTL @pucktalkmtl.bsky.social · 7d ago

2026 Heritage Classic: Canadiens @ Jets — Game preview, start time, Tale of the Tape, and how to watch #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

2026 Heritage Classic: Canadiens @ Jets — Game preview, start time, Tale of the Tape, and how to watch

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Rocket vs. Hammers recap & highlights: Laval handed its second loss of the season #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Rocket vs. Hammers recap & highlights: Laval handed its second loss of the season

Less than 24 hours since the Rocket won the first matchup versus the Hamilton Hammers, both teams were back in Laval for the second game of the back-to-back. Up front, Alex Belzile drew back into the lineup after a minor injury kept him out of the previous game, which dropped Mešár to the second line. On defence, Ethan Samson sat out and in net, Kaapo Kähkönen faced off against the Hammers’ Josh Kotai. Hamilton’s fourth line started the game with energy, quickly entered Laval’s zone, and shot a puck on net. Matthew Highmore won the ensuing faceoff and the puck found its way to Ethan Bear, who uncorked one through traffic to beat Kähkönen and put the away team up by one. The goal did little to wake up the home team, as Hamilton spent the next three minutes hammering shots on net and applying pressure. Luckily for the Rocket, a strong forecheck by Mešár led to him drawing a cross-checking penalty on Brandon Scanlin. While the Rocket spent the next few minutes getting pucks on net, they couldn’t get one past Kotai. The final two minutes saw Kähkönen make his best saves of the game while Owen Protz delivered a massive hit on Noah Warren along the boards to end the opening frame. Bear tried his best to get another goal in the opening minute of the second period, but Kähkönen got to the puck and made the save. Cole Eiserman then sent Laval on the man advantage as he got sent to the box for slashing. The Rocket’s power play didn’t go to plan as Liam Foudy intercepted the puck high in the zone to get a breakaway and fire a shot on net. The rebound went to Highmore, who potted it to score short-handed and put his side up by two. The second goal seemed to set the home bench alight, as Laval followed the goal up with some of their best sequences of the weekend. However, Kotai’s athleticism and desperation kept the Rocket off the scoresheet. A tripping penalty to Maksymilian Szuber sent Hamilton to the power play but while they spent most of their man advantage in Laval’s defensive zone, the home team did an effective job at intercepting passes and keeping their opponents from skating into the slot. Some post-penalty pressure by the Rocket finally paid off as Braden Haché stopped a clearing attempt and fired one from the blue line, where Dillan Bentley squeaked the puck past an oblivious Kotai to get the Rocket on the board. PREMIER BUT CHEZ LES PROS FIRST PRO GOAL 🚨 https://t.co/yGTq1liU99 pic.twitter.com/25mnoxRXYj— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) October 24, 2026 Laval continued pounding the Hammers and finally took the lead in shots for the first time at the 16-minute mark of the middle frame. A slashing penalty to Sasha Pastujov threatened to diminish their momentum, but another successful kill allowed Laval to escape unscathed and enter the intermission only behind by one. The third period started with Bear landing a shot on net at the one-minute mark, but Kähkönen made a glove save on the one-timer. Laval settled into a productive rhythm, cycling the puck, intercepting clearing attempts, and getting strong chances below the hashmarks, but unable to solve Kotai. At the halfway mark, a good deke by Protz at the blue line put Hunter Drew out of position and resulted in him taking a tripping penalty to hand the Rocket a crucial opportunity to tie the game on the man advantage. Both units were unable to force Kotai into difficult situations as they only mustered one shot on net. The first defensive pairing had some good moments, as Luke Mittelstadt used his speed on multiple occasions to activate off the sidewall and get pucks to the slot while David Reinbacher weaponized his stick on the defensive side of the puck to keep the Hammers from setting up a counter-attack. With two minutes remaining in the game, Laval settled in the offensive zone and Kähkönen headed to the bench for the extra man. The Rocket did a good job hemming the Hammers in and firing shots on net, but Kotai turned everything aside to earn his first win of the season and end Laval’s winning streak at seven. Final score: Hammers 2, Rocket 1 The Rocket played well but could not overcome some early defensive lapses as they were handed their first loss in over three weeks. They will have some time to rest and recuperate before heading to Calgary to play two games against the Wranglers, starting with their first matchup of the season on Thursday.

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Sunday Habs Headlines: Canadiens begin Heritage Classic weekend with Alumni win #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Sunday Habs Headlines: Canadiens begin Heritage Classic weekend with Alumni win

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * The Canadiens tested the ice at Princess Auto Stadium ahead of today’s Heritage Classic. [TVA Sports] * Zachary Bolduc is happiest about all the new apparel he’s received for the game. [Journal de Montreal] * From José Théodore’s tuque to celebrating the NHL’s 100th season, the top outdoor moments in Canadiens history. [Journal de Montreal] * Jake Evans has made his reputation on his forechecking and short-handed play, and those situations led to offensive success last game. [RDS] * Montreal beat Winnipeg 7-4 in the Alumni game on Saturday, getting two goals apiece from Guillaume Latendresse and Paul Byron. [RDS] * Jaroslav Halak is dealing with a different kind of stress in retirement: both his daughter and son have decided to become goaltenders. [La Presse] * Andrei Markov’s fellow alumni say he has a more caring personality than what the media saw in his playing days. [Journal de Montreal] * Saku Koivu’s #11 banner now hangs in the rafters at TPS’s arena in Turku. [Canadiens.com] * The NHL says Olympic Stadium won’t be an option for an outdoor game in Montreal because it’s not an open-air venue. [La Presse] Around the league and elsewhere * Blake Wheeler says the reputation Winnipeg has a city no one wants to play in ignores all the stars the team has had and re-signed over the years. [La Presse] * Connor Hellebuyck’s jersey is already a popular one in New Jersey. [NHL.com] * The Carolina Hurricanes were trying to trade for a forward they could flip to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck. [Sportsnet] * Quinn Hughes doesn’t know what type of reception he’s in for when he returns to Vancouver today. [NHL.com] * Nikita Kucherov surpassed Steven Stamkos to take the Tampa Bay Lightning’s all-time points lead. [Sportsnet]

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Bottom Six Minutes: Sans Suzuki, Jake Evans steps up for Montreal #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Bottom Six Minutes: Sans Suzuki, Jake Evans steps up for Montreal

On Friday night, for the first time since Nick Suzuki first pulled a Sainte Flanelle over his head, the Montreal Canadiens had to play a regular-season game without him. In Illinois to face the Chicago Blackhawks, they jumped out to the dreaded two-goal lead, something they haven’t handled well even with their captain there to steer the ship. This time, they remained the aggressors through the entire third period, even though they went into it with that dreaded cushion. It was mission accomplished, as they managed to get a regulation win, which haven’t been easy to come by in their first 10 games. There is no way to replace Nick Suzuki in your lineup, unless you can magically conjure up an elite, world-class centre. But, as Brad Pitt’s famous line in Moneyball goes; “maybe what we can do is re-create him. Re-create him in the aggregate.” Production like last night’s from Jake Evans would go a long way to that end. Absolute heater from Jake Evans makes it 2-1 #Habs LOL at the ref really not wanting to call it a goal. https://t.co/YXxzPJf25W— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 24, 2026 This was one of the best games he has ever played in a Habs uniform. His role is generally a thankless one; handling tough minutes that tend to come with little glory, or praise outside of lifelong die-hards who understand the complexity of what he is asked to do. But now, Suzuki’s absence shines a spotlight is on every single player who lines up in the middle of the ice. Evans rose to the occasion in Chicago, putting two goals in while pivoting a line that barely allowed Chicago to touch the puck, let alone do anything of substance with it. Some credit is certainly due to Owen Beck and Kirby Dach, who were equally involved in that line being a problem for the Blackhawks. And that brings us back to the concept of re-creating Suzuki in the aggregate; it can’t be done by one player, it will have to be done by a handful of his teammates, and it may well be different players from night to night. Most of the top-line centre minutes went to Oliver Kapanen, with some occasional shifts of Phillip Danault peppered in there. Figuring out ways to replace Suzuki’s production will likely require some experimentation, and they will need their fourth line to be as dependable as possible while they do that. It will take more than Evans, but him kicking his own game into high gear would be a huge factor in this team getting healthy while maintaining a strong record. We know he can go on some scoring streaks, and there couldn’t possibly be a better time for him to start one of those. 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 Sunday night after the Heritage Classic in Winnipeg.

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Rocket vs. Hammers recap: Laval claims top spot in AHL with seventh straight victory #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Rocket vs. Hammers recap: Laval claims top spot in AHL with seventh straight victory

After a successful showing against the Syracuse Crunch, the Laval Rocket returned back to Place Bell to play their first of a back-to-back against the league’s newest team, in their former home, the Hamilton Hammers. With Owen Beck recalled, and Alex Belzile and Samuel Poulin both dealing with day-to-day injuries, Laval opted to deploy 11 forwards and seven defencemen. Up front, Filip Mešár was bumped up to the first line and Josh Nadeau returned to the lineup. In net, Kevin Mandolese got the nod for the first start in the back-to-back. As Laval started applying more pressure in the opening minutes, Hunter McKown was called for an offensive-zone holding penalty on Calle Odelius to put his side short-handed. An effective penalty kill prevented the Hammers from establishing any sustained zone time. Moments after returning to even strength, a hooking penalty for Brandon Scanlin handed Laval its first power play of the period. It was a back-and-forth opening frame, with both goalies being tested throughout, but it was Vitek Vaněček who shut the door on multiple high-danger scoring chances in the slot to keep the score at zero aside. The Rocket started the second period with a brief power-play but could not use the advantage to establish any time in the offensive zone, and another offensive-zone penalty for Laval, this time by Tyler Thorpe, put them on the penalty kill just moments into the period. At even strength, Brett Berard’s stick-check got the puck going the other way, and after a give-and-go, he carried the puck into the high slot, collected his own blocked pass, and fired a low wrister that was tipped by McKown past Vaněček to give the Rocket a 1-0 lead. Beebs fait 1-0! Berard opens the scoring in Laval 🚀 https://t.co/Fxh8fuZpXE pic.twitter.com/uNFv7SihEU— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) October 24, 2026 The Hammers tried to quickly respond, as Noah Warren’s shot rang off the post and Alex Jefferies’s rebound almost squeaked through a goal-line scramble. Moments later, Pierre Engvall was called for tripping while Dillan Bentley was called for embellishment, sending the game to four-on-four. With moments to go before the penalties, Mešár used his speed and tenacity to steal a puck near the offensive-zone half-wall and protect it from two Hammers players. After some passing between Maksymilian Szuber and Reilly Walsh, Mešár got the puck back at the point and fired a shot that deflected off a defenceman to beat Vaněček, put his side up by a pair, and give Szuber his first point in a Rocket uniform. MES 🚨 https://t.co/a9b8dvHveg pic.twitter.com/lU6JhE5cVx— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) October 24, 2026 The refs called another set of offsetting penalties for tripping and embellishment. At four-on-four, David Reinbacher and Luke Mittelstadt used their sticks to disrupt plays in the defensive zone while Xavier Simoneau’s stickhandling opened up options at the other end of the ice. At full strength and with a bit over four minutes left in the middle frame, the Hammers’ Cameron Berg fired a shot off Mandolese, but Szuber was unable to contain Matt Luff, who potted the rebound to put Hamilton on the board. Laval pushed in the offensive zone to try to regain a two-goal lead, but after Walsh broke his stick on a point shot, it was Hamilton on the counterattack, where an attempted pass into the slot deflected off of Braden Haché and ended up in Laval’s net for their second goal against in under a minute-and-a-half. The third period started with the third instance of offsetting tripping and embellishment penalties, but neither side could take advantage of the extra space. At the quarter-way mark, Mittelstadt used his reach to body Liam Foudy off the puck, but the Hammers forward continued his trajectory toward the net and was called for interference on Mandolese, sending the Rocket on the fifth man advantage of the night. It didn’t take long for the Rocket to connect, with Mittelstadt sending the puck to Sasha Pastujov at the half-wall, where he one-timed a snapshot over the shoulder of Vaněček to score his sixth power-play goal of the year and put the home team ahead by one. SASHA DE MITTSY ET WALSHY 🚨 https://t.co/8TOCDlWkcj pic.twitter.com/8mUnziYizp— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) October 24, 2026 Both sides seemed destined to finish the game on special teams as they traded penalties throughout the rest of the closing frame. Laval’s penalty kill, headlined by Reinbacher and Mittelstadt, continued its flawless run while the power play seemed content to play it safe and not force any chances. With under two minutes left, Vaněček went to the bench for the extra man, but Berard won the race on a clear, got the puck to McKown, and deflected the point shot to get the insurance goal on the empty net. The Hammers had their best shift in the final minute of the game and forced Mandolese to make three quick saves, but it was too little, too late, as the Rocket picked up their seventh straight victory. Final Score: Laval 4, Hammers 2 Laval’s win places them atop the league with a 7-1-0 record, while Mittelstadt’s assist puts him first in league scoring. The Rocket have their second game of this homestand against the Hammers today at 3 PM ET.

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Saturday Habs Headlines: Alexandre Carrier’s stout defensive game #Habs #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens

Saturday Habs Headlines: Alexandre Carrier’s stout defensive game

Montreal Canadiens news and notes * Arber Xhekaj admires the way Alexandre Carrier approaches playing defence. [Montreal Gazette] * Carrier is looking forward to his first outdoor game. [NHL.com] * Doug Jarvis is a big fan of Nick Suzuki, and knows it was tough for him to sit with an injury and lose his ironman streak. [NHL.com] * Players talk about their excitement to play in the Heritage Classic. [NHL.com | Jake Evans | Mario Ferraro] * Alexis Cournoyer says he’s living the dream of playing for a career in hockey, and says he understands Michael Hage wanting to be as ready as possible for the NHL with another NCAA season. [RDS] Around the league and elsewhere * The Connor Hellebuyck saga is over as he was traded to the New Jersey Devils. [NHL.com] * Breaking down the trade. [Sportsnet] * Kevin Cheveldayoff is “comfortable” with the return of Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, Nick Bjugstad, Alexander Command, and two draft picks. [NHL.com] * The Devils are going for the Stanley Cup with the group they have assembled. [NHL.com] * Connor McDavid and other NHL stars react to the Hellebuyck trade. [Sportsnet] * McDavid joined a list of the game’s elite players with 30 points in 10 games. [La Presse] * McDavid’s season is starting out like some of the 200-point seasons the NHL has seen. [La Presse] * The Oilers placed Devon Levi on Injured Reserve. [TSN] * Why is the NHL’s save percentage steadily trending downward? [Sportsnet] * Vincent Desharnais will miss four to six weeks after undergoing an appendectomy. [NHL.com] * Landon DuPont’s latest blog about his draft season. [NHL.com] * Rosalie Tremblay could be a future face of women’s hockey in Canada, the youngest member of the National Women’s Team since Marie-Philip Poulin. [La Presse]

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The Habs Just Played Their Most MATURE Game Yet Against The Blackhawks | PuckTalk MTL Post-Game Let's see how the #Habs simplified their game, defended better & found a way to win without their captain. http://dlvr.it/TW2czv #GoHabsGo #MontrealCanadiens #PuckTalkMTL