Suzuki double dipped in the goal column and added an assist for the cherry on top, putting him on pace for 73 points this season. Meanwhile, Slafkovsky’s surge has seen the 19-year-old produce 14 points (7G, 7A) in his last 19 games. That’s a 60-point beat over the course a full 82-game season. Finally, Cole Caufield extended his career-high point-streak to 10 games with a helper against the Capitals, in a game where the Habs’ top line combined for four goals and six points.
Montembeault will make his second consecutive against the Stars on Saturday. He stopped 30 pucks in Montreal’s 4-3 triumph of Dallas on Jan. 2, while the aforementioned 22-14-20 trio each registered at least one point that night in Texas.
2. The Stars (31-14-6) come to Montreal sitting tied for first in the Central Division and even with three other teams for fourth in the League. Despite dropping a down-to-wire 5-4 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Dallas is 7-2-1 over their last 10 outings. Led by Peter DeBoer, the Stars have been an especially formidable presence on the road this year, posting a 15-6-4 record. On the offensive side, Roope Hintz paces the the visitors’ offense with 24 points in 25 games outside of American Airlines Center. On the back end, Dallas’ netminders – Scott Wedgewood and Jake Oettinger – have combined for the fifth-best GAA (2.56) away from home in 2023-24. Considering Wedgewood played in Toronto, don’t be surprised to see Oettinger – who's won his last four starts – in net for today’s game. Lifetime against the Canadiens, he is 3-1-0 with a 3.15 GAA and .889 save pct.
3. The Canadiens are 15-9-3 in 27 games on Super Bowl weekend at the Bell Centre since 2010 inclusively (the team played only once on SB weekend in 2021). Montreal has swept the weekend series four times during that span: 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2023. Since Super Bowl I in 1967, at least one of the teams from this year’s Super Bowl matchup – the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs – have played in the big game 11 times: 1967, 1970, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2013, 2020, 2021 and 2023. The Canadiens own a combined record of 12-2-2-0 (W-L-T-OTL) on Super Bowl weekend those years. Make what you will of it, but could the 49ers and Chiefs be the Habs’ lucky charm?
4. New York Yankees’ catcher, manager and coach, Yogi Berra, famously coined the phrase, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” and that stands especially true today. The Stars are tied for the League-lead in come-from-behind victories this season with 17. They have 11 times crawled out of one-goal holes, and 6 times erased two-goal deficits and won. For their part, the Canadiens have totaled eight comebacks – four times when trailing by one goal and four more when down by two.
5. There will be plenty of youth at the Bell Centre this weekend as it's Family Weekend presented by Voisin, in collaboration with Tim Hortons. Saturday, two lucky winners will accompany the Canadiens on the ice during the national anthems. One child will also get the chance to assist the Canadiens head equipment manager, Patrick Langlois, during his pregame routine, and another will get the chance to interview a player pregame! As well, Voisin will be handing out pillowcases to the first 5,000 kids to arrive at the Bell Centre, while Tim Hortons will be offering hot chocolate and coffee pregame outside of the building. Petit Lem – a pop up shop at section 113 – encourages fans to come dressed in their pajamas for Saturday’s early-day game.
Puck drop is 1:00 p.m. ET. You can watch the game on TSN2 and RDS, or listen on TSN 690 and 98.5 fm. For tickets, click here.
