TEAM COMPARISONS
A gutsy road win in Los Angeles on Saturday helped the Canadiens return to the win column and salvage a split of the points on their three-game West Coast trip. Despite scoring 14 goals over that stretch, Montreal came away with just half the points available. Back home, the Habs will look to tighten things up defensively as they open a back-to-back against divisional rivals, the Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, before another set of back-to-backs this weekend against the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks.
Toronto enters Tuesday’s matchup mired in a seven-game skid, winless since the Olympic break. While it appears the ship has sailed on the Leafs’ playoff hopes — a miss would be their first since the 2015–16 season — rivalry games rarely follow the script. When the Canadiens and Leafs meet, numbers and streaks tend to go out the window, as one of hockey’s fiercest rivalries has a way of bringing out the best in both sides.
SEASON SERIES
Oct. 8 @ TOR: 5-2 TOR
Nov. 22 vs. TOR: 5-2 MTL
Dec. 6 @ TOR: 2-1 MTL (SO)
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR
Nick Suzuki is heating up at just the right time for the Canadiens. Like last season following the 4 Nations break, the Habs captain has returned from the Olympics with extra jump, tallying nine points in his last four games.
William Nylander, meanwhile, enters Tuesday’s matchup on a five-game point streak. In three games against Montreal this season, the Swedish sniper has scored twice and added three assists.
BY THE NUMBERS: LEAFS-HABS
Here’s how the Maple Leafs and Canadiens match up by the numbers:
