Playing their best hockey of the season, the red-hot Montreal Canadiens look to keep rolling when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
The Habs are 7-2-0 in their last nine games and return home after a 4-2-0 road trip. The most recent victory was perhaps the most impressive as they toughed out a 2-1 shootout victory on Saturday to end the Colorado Avalanche’s six-game winning streak.
“First two (periods), I thought we kind of survived and we gave ourselves a chance going into the third. … We’re in every game right now and I think probably that’s the best part,” forward Cole Caufield said.
Caufield extended his goal streak to three games by scoring the equalizer at 13:25 of the third period. Caufield leads Montreal with 21 goals.
Nick Suzuki has an assist in each of his last three games and leads the Canadiens in both assists (27) and points (38).
Jakob Dobes stopped 22 of 23 Avalanche shots to continue the dream start to his NHL career. Dobes is the first goaltender in Canadiens history to allow just a single goal over his first two NHL starts, between his strong outing against Colorado and his 34-save shutout over the Florida Panthers on Dec. 28.
Both of Dobes’ games were on the road, so the Habs could opt to give the rookie his first home start on Monday. Regular starter Samuel Montembeault has also been playing well, with a 5-2-0 record and 2.61 goals-against average in his last seven starts.
While the Canadiens have been hitting their stride, Vancouver has won only four (4-5-4) of its last 13 games. The Canucks have scored just 32 times in those 13 outings, and Friday’s 3-0 setback to the Nashville Predators was Vancouver’s second shutout loss this season.
“Our goalies are giving us a chance every night. They’re doing more than they’re asked for, and it’s on us to kind of get it going,” forward Kiefer Sherwood said. “Obviously, we’re dealing with a little bit of adversity right now, but I do believe that it’ll make us tougher and a better team in the long term.”
Montreal is the first stop on a five-game road trip for the Canucks, which might help get the team on track. Vancouver is 11-4-2 in away games and only 7-8-6 at home.
Kevin Lankinen has an 11-2-1 road record and is the only goalie in NHL history to go 10-0-0 in his first 10 away games in a season. Lankinen might get another start on Monday since Thatcher Demko missed Friday’s game due to back spasms.
Demko isn’t the only star struggling to stay healthy, as Quinn Hughes (upper-body injury) and Elias Pettersson (undisclosed) have each missed Vancouver’s last four games. Demko, Hughes and Pettersson are all joining the Canucks on the road trip, though it isn’t known if any of those stars will play Monday. Both Hughes and Pettersson practiced on Sunday for the first time in almost two weeks.
“I would say it’s day-to-day, possibility (Monday), but we’ll see,” coach Rick Tocchet told reporters in Montreal on Sunday when asked if Hughes is closer to returning. “We want to make the right decision, too, so we’ll take our time on this. But we’ve still got 24 hours before we make a decision.”
Despite the recent absence, Hughes still leads the Canucks in points (42) and assists (34). Jake DeBrusk leads Vancouver with 16 goals.
Vancouver is 6-1-1 in its last eight games against Montreal.
–Field Level Media
