TEAM COMPARISONS
Montreal kicked off their two-game road trip in style on Tuesday, powering past the Utah Hockey Club on the strength of Kirby Dach’s multi-goal performance. Now 10-2-1 in their last 13 games—a stretch during which they’ve led the league in goals for per game—Martin St-Louis’ side looks to close out a travel-heavy start to January on a high note. A win in Dallas would send them home with plenty of momentum as they gear up to play six of their next seven games at the Bell Centre to close out the month.
They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and that mostly applies to the Stars’ success on home ice this season. Dallas has racked up the fifth-most home wins in the NHL, with games in hand on the teams ahead of them. Riding an impressive 8-1-1 record in their last 10 outings, the Stars aren’t known for overwhelming opponents with offense but for suffocating them with elite defense and goaltending. Under Pete DeBoer, Dallas has allowed the third-fewest goals per game in the league this season and effectively neutralized the Canadiens’ red-hot attack in their most recent meeting, a 2-1 shootout win at the Bell Centre last Saturday.
SEASON SERIES
Jan. 11 vs DAL: 2-1 DAL (SO)
Jan. 16 @ DAL:
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR
Lane Hutson. Need we say more after the show the kid put on in Utah? The standout rookie, currently boasting the second-best odds to win the Calder Trophy, extended his point streak to five games with three assists in Montreal’s win on Tuesday and ranks second in NHL defenseman scoring since December 17.
Something about American Airlines Center suits Roope Hintz’ eye. The Finnish forward has scored 13 out of his team-leading 19 goals on home ice this season, including six in his last seven games in front of the Dallas faithful.
BY THE NUMBERS: HABS-STARS
Here’s how the Canadiens and Stars match up by the numbers: