The Montreal Canadiens host the Vancouver Canucks on Monday at the Bell Centre. Montreal is coming off a 4-0 loss to Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Vancouver’s losing streak extended to six games on the same night in Toronto.
After Monday’s game, the Habs begin a road trip against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Habs Notes
Here are some things to watch heading into Monday’s contest.
- Kaiden Guhle returned Saturday for the first time since October 16 after surgery to repair a partially torn adductor. He logged 18:13, including 2:14 on the penalty kill. To start, Guhle lined up on the third pairing with Arber Xhekaj. He also took regular five‑on‑five shifts with Hutson and Matheson.
- Martin St. Louis showered Xhekaj with praise on Saturday, and followed that up in the evening. Xhekaj played regular shifts in the third period, even with the team trailing. Typically, he would sit during those moments when the team was trying to climb back into the game.
- The ice in Brossard was busier this weekend as more players returned to practice. Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine skated in non‑contact jerseys Saturday, while Evans practised in a regular jersey. In addition, Josh Anderson hit the ice for Sunday’s optional practice. Management faces difficult roster decisions as players receive the green light to return.
- During the mid-season press conference, Kent Hughes said the goalie delivering the best performance would earn the most starts. As a result, starting Jacob Fowler in a key divisional game sent a clear message from the organization.
- Later in the day, Hughes told RDS the three‑goalie tandem will end before the Olympic break.. With three starts in the last five games, there’s no indication of Fowler going anywhere. At the same time, Samuel Montembeault obtained the remaining two, and has lined up three consecutive good starts. Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes last played January 1 in Carolina, allowing five goals on 25 shots in a 7–5 win. Is it Dobes’ turn to spend time in Laval?
Rocket Notes
The Laval Rocket were on the road facing the Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) and the Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning). The Rocket split their weekend trip, beating Rochester 3–2 on Friday and losing 3–2 to Syracuse after leading 2–0 Saturday.
The Belleville Senators (Ottawa) visit Place Bell on Wednesday, followed by a doubleheader against the Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets) starting on Friday.
- Friday’s win secured Pascal Vincent’s spot coaching the North Division at the AHL All‑Star Classic. The event is held at Rockford, Illinois on February 10 and 11. The league selects the coaches of the teams holding the best record in each division at the pre‑determined deadline, which falls at the end of play on January 11. “I am proud of our team. Yes, it’s an honour for me, but it also reflects the work of the other coaches and all of our players,” Vincent said via social media statement.
- Joshua Roy did not travel after being ruled out four to six weeks with an upper‑body injury. Roy has 18 points in 22 games and plays key roles on both special‑teams units.
- Sean Farrell surpassed the 100-point mark in the AHL on Friday with two points in Rochester.
- Jared Davidson continued producing by adding three points to his record. He has six points in seven games since returning from the Habs.
- Adam Engstrom returned to Laval for the weekend after his recall to Montreal. He recorded two points, seven shots, and a plus‑1 rating. Engstrom played on the top pairing with William Trudeau and on the first power play unit with David Reinbacher.
