MTL@SEA: What you need to know 

SEATTLE – The Canadiens look for consecutive wins as they close out their four-game Canada-U.S. road trip against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Wednesday.

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

GAME FACTS

TEAM COMPARISONS

Back on track. Montreal claimed a crucial two points in Vancouver on the strength of their top line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, who combined for three goals, seven points and a plus-10 rating in a 4-2 victory on Tuesday.

Now, the Canadiens shift their focus to Seattle, where a win against the Kraken would pull them level with Columbus for the Eastern Conference's final wild card spot—though the Blue Jackets would hold the tiebreaker in games played. That isn’t exactly on Martin St-Louis’ mind right now, though. As cliché as it sounds, the Habs are sticking to a “one day at a time” mind set, and the next challenge awaits at Climate Pledge Arena on Wednesday.

The Kraken are trending toward missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season and third time in their four-year history. Losing their captain Jordan Eberle (who’s since returned) for three months in mid-November put Seattle behind the eight ball early, and they haven’t been able to recover since. Special teams have been areas of weakness, with the Kraken ranking 26^th in the NHL on the power play and 20^th on the penalty kill—numbers that drop even further to 27^th and 25^th, respectively, on home ice.

Despite their struggles, Montreal knows firsthand the danger Seattle poses. Dan Bylsma’s side dominated the teams’ October matchup, and the Habs will be looking to even the score as they close out their road trip at Climate Pledge Arena.

SEASON SERIES

Oct. 29 vs. SEA: 8-2 SEA

Mar. 12 @ SEA:

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

Fresh off a three-point performance less than 24 hours ago, Juraj Slafkovsky eyes his 100^th career point in Seattle. The 20-year-old has posted 36-62—98 totals in 182 NHL games thus far.

Brandon Montour torched the Canadiens in their only other meeting this season, netting a hat trick at the Bell Centre on October 29. Now ranked sixth among NHL defenseman with 13 goals this year, the Habs will look to neutralize the blue liner’s offensive impact on Wednesday.

BY THE NUMBERS: HABS-KRAKEN

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

LINEUP NEWS

Jakub Dobes will be between the pipes for the Canadiens. Patrik Laine’s status remains uncertain, though head coach Martin St-Louis said yesterday he ‘hopes’ to get the Finnish forward back tonight in Seattle.

The Canadiens are not scheduled for a morning skate on Wednesday. Select players will, however, be made available to the media at the hotel pregame. For lineup news, keep an eye on @Canadiens MTL on X, and check back on the team’s social accounts closer to puck drop for the full lineup.