GamePreviewTOR@MTL_EN

MONTREAL – Two Original Six matchups are on the docket this weekend for the Habs, starting with a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Saturday.

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

GAME FACTS

WHEN 

Saturday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET 

WHERE 

Bell Centre – Montreal, QC 

TV & STREAMING 

CBC, Sportsnet, NHLN, TVA Sports 

RADIO 

TSN 690, 98.5 FM 

TICKETS 

STATISTICS 

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE

Enjoy Molson FANatic Saturdays programming as of 4:30 p.m.! Fans can kick off festivities at a pregame party at Les Trois Monkeys on Peel St., located a few steps away from the Bell Centre. By participating in the pregame Trivia at Les Trois Monkeys, one winner will get to participate in Molson Lucky Shots to shoot three pucks from the ice at intermission for various prizes.

Monster Energy’s guest, DJ Trapment, will also be spinning tunes in bowl for warmups. Fans can catch his set on Twitch for a chance to win a prize.

TEAM COMPARISONS

The Canadiens have extended their point streak to six games (5-0-1) following two road wins over the Utah Hockey Club (5-3) and Dallas Stars (3-1) on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Martin St-Louis' squad continues to impress with an 11-2-1 record over the past 14 games. With 48 points each, the Habs and Ottawa Senators are one point out from the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have identical records (22-18-4 in 44 GP), but Ottawa holds the edge in regulation wins with 17 against Montreal’s 16. Following Saturday’s game, the Canadiens will host the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre on Sunday for the second game of a back-to-back this weekend.

Sitting atop the Atlantic Division, the Maple Leafs snapped a three-game slide with a 4-3 overtime win over former head coach Sheldon Keefe and his Devils on Thursday. Both teams are tied for second in the Eastern Conference, with Toronto holding a game in hand over New Jersey. Despite not being particularly dominant in some major NHL statistical categories (power play – 18th, penalty kill – 12th, goals scored per game – 12th, and goals allowed per game – 12th), the Leafs have still managed 58 points in 46 games and will look to solidify their high ranking in the East. Mitch Marner (62), William Nylander (47) and John Tavares (42) – who was placed on injured reserve on Thursday with a lower-body ailment – lead the team in points.

SEASON SERIES

Oct. 9 vs. TOR: 1-0 MTL

Nov. 9 @ TOR: 4-1 TOR

Jan. 18 vs. TOR:

Apr. 12 @ TOR:

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

MTL: Not to sound redundant but we’re going with Lane Hutson. The blue-liner has points in six straight games (1G, 9A) and could match his franchise record for longest point streak by a rookie defenseman if he gets on the scoresheet on Saturday. Reminder – Hutson already broke that record, last held by Chris Chelios, earlier this season with a seven-game point streak from November 27 to December 9. The 20-year-old rearguard continues to lead NHL rookies in the Calder Trophy race with 36 points (3G, 33A) in 44 games, four points ahead of Macklin Celebrini (32 points in 35 games) and Matvei Michkov (32 points in 44 games).

TOR: With two assists in Thursday’s win over the Devils, Marner became the fastest player in Maple Leafs history to record 700 points. The seasoned veteran is on pace to set career highs in points and assists as he currently leads the Leafs with 62 points (14G, 48A) in 46 games. The Canadiens will also need to shutdown Auston Matthews and William Nylander, who scored the Leafs’ last seven goals.

BY THE NUMBERS: LEAFS-HABS

Here’s how the Leafs and Habs match up by the numbers:

Maple Leafs

📈 

Canadiens

28-16-2 

RECORD 

22-18-4 

20.8% 

POWER PLAY 

20.9% 

81.4% 

PENALTY KILL 

82.5% 

3.04 

GOALS FOR/GAME 

3.00 

2.85 

GOALS AGAINST/GAME 

3.23 

Nylander (26) 

GOALS 

Caufield (24) 

Marner (48) 

ASSISTS 

Hutson (33) 

Marner (62) 

POINTS 

Suzuki (45) 

Tanev (+16) 

+/- DIFFERENTIAL 

Evans (+8) 

Lorentz (122) 

HITS 

Heineman (101) 

LINEUP NEWS

The Canadiens will not skate ahead of Saturday’s game. Subscribe to or follow the team on YouTube, Facebook and X (@CanadiensMTL) to catch media availabilities around 4:30 p.m. ET, 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.

Click here for tickets.

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