The Canadiens come into Saturday night with momentum, but the real question is whether that run survives a visit from a Colorado team that may not be at full strength.
Montreal has picked up at least one point in each of its last 12 games, and that streak will be tested against the Avalanche at home. Colorado sits third in the Central Division with 25 points, but there’s uncertainty around two of its biggest names after Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar both left Thursday night’s game with lower-body injuries.
At this point, it’s not clear if either will suit up. And as the playoffs have shown, an Avalanche team without Makar is a different animal.
This is the first of two meetings between the clubs this season, with the rematch set for November 25 in Denver. Last year’s season series was all offense and no subtlety: Colorado won 7-2 at home, while Montreal answered with a 7-3 victory in its own building. The Avalanche have taken six of the last 10 matchups, though the Canadiens have won four of the last six.
Montreal also has its own injury question to sort through. Chris Kreider left the last game with what looked like a very painful injury, and because the Canadiens had the day off Friday, there hasn’t been an update yet. That should come at morning skate at 10:30 AM.
The crease situation is another storyline worth watching. Jacob Fowler has started the last three games, while Jakub Dobes hasn’t played in eight days, which raises the question of whether that’s enough to get him the nod.
Dobes has a 2-1-0 record against Colorado with a 3.57 goals-against average and an .875 save percentage. Fowler has never faced the Avalanche.
The starter is expected to be revealed at morning skate.
Colorado’s likely answer in net is Mackenzie Blackwood. Scott Wedgewood was in goal for Thursday night’s loss, but Blackwood would seem to be the more likely choice after making 15 starts this season and settling in as the top option.
He owns a 6-0-2 record against Montreal with a 2.41 GAA and a .922 save percentage. Wedgewood, by contrast, is 0-2-0 against the Canadiens with a 5.79 GAA and a .761 SV.
Up front, Montreal has a few familiar names with strong numbers against Colorado. Nick Suzuki has more than a point per game against the Avalanche, with 13 points in 11 games.
Phillip Danault is next with 10 points in 22 games. Three players are tied with seven points apiece: Juraj Slafkovsky in seven games, Alexandre Carrier in 14, and Mike Matheson in 15.
Cole Caufield doesn’t crack that top three, with five points in eight games, but he’s riding a five-game points streak right now at 4-2-6, and Colorado will want to keep close tabs on him.
For the Avalanche, Brock Nelson has the best scoring line against the Canadiens with 32 points in 34 games. Nazem Kadri follows with 24 points in 44 games, and Brent Burns has 21 points in 30 games.
MacKinnon has 20 points in 21 games, though his status is uncertain, and Makar has 11 points in as many games. Former Canadien Artturi Lehkonen has seven points in seven games against the team that drafted him.
Kelly Sutherland and Beau Halkidis are the referees, with Tommy Hughes and Matt MacPherson working the lines. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and the game will air on Sportsnet East in English and TVA Sports in French. It’s Montreal’s only home game this week before the team heads out on a three-game road trip Sunday afternoon.
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Canadiens Hot Streak Meets A Growing Injury Concern
The Canadiens recent surge has come with a familiar kind of late-season unease, the sort that can shadow a hot streak even when the results keep piling up. Chris Kreider exited a recent game because of an injury, and his status remains uncertain, while Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson have also been dealing with discomfort as the team has offered only limited detail on either player.
For a club that has kept winning through the stretch, the concern is less about what has already happened than what happens if the wear starts to catch up. Montreal has been able to keep its momentum despite the bumps, but the injury picture is getting crowded enough that every update now carries a little more weight. [Read more 🡒]