MTL@PHI: What you need to know

PHILADELPHIA – The Canadiens look for consecutive wins as they descend on Wells Fargo Center for a date with the Flyers in the teams’ first meeting of the season on Wednesday.

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

1. Feeling good, like they should. The Canadiens pack their bags for the City of Brotherly Love on the heels of an emotional shootout win against the Rangers on the weekend, and they’ll look to fill their luggage with two more points on Wednesday. Brendan Gallagher, Sean Monahan and Joel Armia opened a three-goal lead for Montreal on Saturday, before New York stormed back with three unanswered goals to force an overtime period for the 14th time this season. That solved nothing, so the game went to a shootout where Cole Caufield and Samuel Montembeault proved to be the difference. Montembeault had himself a Carey Price-esque night, stopping 45 of 48 shots – the fourth-highest total in his career to date – and earned first star of the game honors for the second time in as many starts. Heading into Pennsylvania, defenseman Mike Matheson is one point shy of 200 in his career, and only time will tell if he can check off another milestone tonight.

2. The pick is in! Cayden Primeau gets the start tonight against the Flyers, head coach Martin St-Louis confirmed during his press conference on Tuesday. Primeau’s 26th start of his career comes in familiar territory. Though born in Michigan,the American netminder grew up in Philadelphia while his dad, Keith, donned the Flyers' colors in the latter stages of his career, meaning the 24-year-old is set to play in front of family and friends against his childhood team tonight. “Any time you play a game in the NHL is special, but to return to where my dream began is even more special,” Primeau told reporters on Tuesday.

3. The Flyers (20-14-6), who currently occupy the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, are in search of a bounce back effort against the Habs. John Tortorella’s contingent dropped the third game of a four-game homestand 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. Owen Tippett was the lone goalscorer for the home side. The bigger news coming out of Philly – and the entire National Hockey League for that matter – on Monday was the trade that sent Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks in return for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. The newly acquired 21-year-old practiced with his new team on Tuesday, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will make his Flyers debut against the Canadiens.

4. Let’s play the numbers game:

• Philadelphia boasts the second-best penalty kill in the NHL (86.2%), but second-worst power play (10.8%).
• Nick Suzuki (12-22-34) and Travis Konecny (21-15-36) are the Habs’ and Flyers’ leading scorers, respectively.
• Montreal is 5-2-1 against Metropolitan Divison opponents this year; Philadelphia is 2-2-1 against Atlantic Division opponents this season.
• The Canadiens are 3-0-0 on three days rest in 2023-24; the Flyers are 9-9-3 on one days rest this year.
• The Canadiens are 10-0-0 this season when leading after two periods of play.
• The Flyers are 16-2-1 when scoring first and 4-12-5 when conceding the opening goal.

5. Montreal will hold a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Any changes to the lineup may be known during the St-Louis' pregame press conference. Fans can tune in on the Canadiens’ accounts on YouTube, Facebook and X. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. You can watch all the action on Sportsnet or RDS on television, or listen in on TSN 690 or 98,5 fm on the radio.