Canadiens Skills Competition: What you need to know

MONTREAL – The Canadiens Skills Competition presented by RONA is back at the Bell Centre, and this year the Habs have invited some friends in on the fun.

Canadiens players and their PWHL Montreal counterparts will put their puck prowess to the test on Sunday morning, with plenty of surprises in store for fans both in attendance and at home.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and a live stream of the contest will be broadcast on Twitch starting at around 11:00 a.m.

LAST-MINUTE TICKETS: CANADIENS SKILLS COMPETITION

Once again this year, fans in-arena will be as close as it gets to their favorite players, thanks to the removal of the glass around the sides of the rink. (Note that the glass behind the nets and players’ bench will remain up for crowd safety.)

Fans at home will likewise enjoy several perks, like controlling the Bell Centre playlist via live requests in the Twitch chat. A prize will also be given away to one fan who remains active and positive in the chat until the end of the stream.

FOLLOW THE CANADIENS ON TWITCH

Players will be split into two teams, with the winning player from each contest earning a point for his or her team.

Comedian Megan Brouillard will be a special guest host for the morning, and Paul Byron will also be on-hand to get all the post-Skill reactions from the event winners.

Here’s a rundown of the order and descriptions for each Skill.

1. FASTEST SKATER

Kicking things off with a classic, players skate one full lap around the rink, and the skater with the fastest time wins.

2. RELAY RACE

A test of stickhandling, agility, and teamwork, at the whistle, players skate to the cone placed at the red line, then maneuver a puck through the obstacles to their next teammate at the blue line. The first team to have all four players cross the blue line wins.

3. ACCURACY SHOOTING

A measure of precision with the puck, players have 32 seconds to break all four targets on the net. The player to complete the challenge with the fastest time and the least number of pucks wins. If the winner goes 4-for-4, they earn a bonus point for their team.

4. HARDEST SHOT

A showcase of pure power, players get two chances to record the hardest shot on net. The shot with the highest speed recorded wins.

5. MICHIGANS

A new Skill, suggested by fans online and voted by the team gives players 60 seconds to score a Michigan-style goal (also known as a high wrap, Zorro, or lacrosse-style goal) against a stand-in goaltender. Four judges will rate each player’s attempt on a 1-10 scale, and the player with the highest average score wins.

6. CONTINUOUS SHOOTOUT

A last-one-standing elimination, all players from both teams take turns in a shootout until only one skater remains. Players must score to stay on the ice for another attempt, else be knocked out of the competition. The last player standing earns a point for his or her team.

To purchase tickets to the Canadiens Skills Competition presented by RONA, click here. All proceeds benefit the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation, the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund, and the ALS Super Fund.