WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE
Soirée Québécoise in collaboration with Sponge Towels
Quebec culture, cuisine, and more will be in the spotlight on Thursday!
Here’s a look at what fans can expect at the arena:
- Quebec maple taffy on snow will be available at a kiosk in Section 112;
- A Quebec maple cocktail will be available at the bars in Section 103 and 320, as well as in M2 Marché Montréal Loto-Québec;
- Classic tourtière and tourtière poutine menu items will be available at La Classique and Chquick Chquick concessions, respectively;
- Quebec musician David Jalbert will perform pregame, postgame, and during intermissions in M2 Marché Montréal Loto-Québec.
New Canadiens x Gilles Villeneuve collection at Tricolore Sports
In honor of Soirée Québécoise, Tricolore Sports is dropping a new merch collection celebrating legendary Quebec race car driver Gilles Villeneuve:
- Exclusive items will be available in-store at the Bell Centre as well as online;
- A Ferrari T2 will be in Canadiens Plaza for fans to take photos with.
New playlist and contest
The Francos de Montréal programming team has curated a playlist of 100% Quebec songs that are perfect for game night, available by clicking here.
Fans can also test their knowledge with a Canadiens x Francos quiz for a chance to win a prize pack, including a new item from the Gilles Villeneuve collection, by clicking here.
Special 50/50 raffle
A special edition of the 50/50 raffle at the Bell Centre will benefit the Jewish General Hospital Foundation on Thursday.
Fans in Quebec aged 18+ can purchase raffle tickets at the game, or online at jgh5050.com.
TEAM COMPARISONS
We’re not sure momentum survives a three-week break, but if it does, Montreal has it. The Canadiens enter tonight’s matchup riding a five-game (4-0-1) point streak, highlighted by statement wins over the Buffalo Sabres, Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche before the schedule pause. With 25 games remaining and the Canadiens sitting just seven points clear of a playoff spot, the margin for error is slim. The stretch drive begins now, and Montreal will look to pick up right where it left off in pursuit of a second straight postseason berth.
The Islanders, meanwhile, find themselves in a similar spot: third in the Metropolitan Division and five points clear of the playoff cut line. In the midst of a strong bounce back campaign, New York arrives in Montreal riding a two-game win streak. Structure has been the foundation under head coach Patrick Roy this season. The Islanders rank third in goals against per game, sixth in faceoff percentage and eighth on the penalty kill in 2025-26 — a formula built on defense and dependable goaltending.
SEASON SERIES
Feb. 26 vs. NYI:
Mar. 21 vs. NYI:
Apr. 12 @ NYI:
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR
Who else but Noah Dobson for the Canadiens? Drafted fifth overall by the Islanders in 2018, Dobson spent the first six seasons of his career on Long Island. On Tuesday, the defenseman will face his former club for the first time since being acquired by the Canadiens last summer.
At the other end of the ice, another high-profile blue-liner takes the spotlight. Canadiens fans will get their first look at 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer. The 18-year-old has totaled 39 points in 58 games in his rookie campaign.
Other names to look out for on Thursday are Alex Newhook, who returns from a long-term injury, Ivan Demidov, who looks to challenge Schaefer for the Calder Trophy, and Emil Heineman, who returns to Montreal after being sent to New York in exchange for Dobson.
BY THE NUMBERS: ISLES-HABS
Here’s how the Islanders and Canadiens match up by the numbers:
