FLA@MTL: What you need to know

MONTREAL – The Canadiens will host the Florida Panthers and Pride Night presented by Scotiabank at the Bell Centre on Saturday.

Here’s what you need to know heading into the game:

GAME FACTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE

In honor of Pride Night, the Canadiens have invited members of GRIS-Montréal to the game. The non-profit community organization, whose acronym stands for Research and Social Intervention Group, demystifies sexual orientation and gender identity by sharing testimonies of lived experiences. Fans can support them by purchasing Canadiens pride merch sold at Tricolore Sports where 25% of profits will benefit GRIS-Montréal.

TEAM COMPARISONS

Montreal

• Standings: 5th in the Atlantic Division, one point out of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference
• Home record: 16-12-4
• Last 10 games: 6-2-2
• Streak: OT1
• Injuries: Kirby Dach (right knee), Kaiden Guhle (lacerated quadricep muscle)
• Starting goalie vs. FLA: Samuel Montembeault

Florida

• Standings: 1st in the Atlantic Division, 2nd in the Eastern Conference
• Away record: 19-12-1
• Last 10 games: 8-2-0
• Streak: W1
• Injuries: Brad Marchand (out), Matthew Tkachuk (injured reserve)

SEASON SERIES

Dec. 28 @ FLA: 4-0 MTL

Mar. 15 vs. FLA

Mar. 30 @ FLA

Apr. 1 vs. FLA

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

MTL: The Canadiens’ first line has been unstoppable since returning from the 4 Nations break. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky have combined for 37 points (!) over nine games since February 22. During that stretch, Suzuki established a new career-high in assists and put up six multi-point outings, Caufield reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career, and Slafkovsky notched his 100th career NHL point.

FLA: Speaking of hot streaks, Sam Bennett has nine points (4G, 5A) since returning from the break and has points in four consecutive games heading into tonight’s matchup. The veteran forward scored twice on the man-advantage in a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. His team is tied for third best in the League for power play goals scored on the road (25) this season, which is something the Canadiens will need to keep an eye on.

BY THE NUMBERS: CATS-HABS

Here’s how the Panthers and Canadiens match up by the numbers:

LINEUP NEWS

The Canadiens are scheduled for a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Head coach Martin St-Louis confirmed on Friday that Samuel Montembeault will get the start, while Joel Armia is likely to be available against the Panthers after missing Wednesday’s game against Seattle. Subscribe to or follow the team on YouTube, Facebook and X (@CanadiensMTL) to catch St-Louis' press conference and player media availabilities around 11:00 a.m., and keep an eye on the Canadiens social accounts for any potential lineup news. For the full official lineup, check back on the team’s social accounts closer to puck drop.

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