The Canadiens are back at it Saturday night, and the task is a simple one on paper: go into Pittsburgh and try to leave with a 2-0 start. Montreal and the Penguins are both coming off one game apiece, which makes this another home opener for the hosts, and the atmosphere should be a lot livelier than what the Maple Leafs got at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
This matchup also comes with a recent edge for Montreal. The Canadiens and Penguins met three times last season, all in December, and the Habs took two of those games.
Their lone loss came in a shootout on December 21. Over those three meetings, Montreal outscored Pittsburgh 11-5, though the Penguins have still taken seven of the last 10 head-to-head games dating back to March 2023.
Pittsburgh has already made its first statement of the season, rolling past the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0 on the road. The Penguins also spent the offseason adding pieces, bringing in Nicholas Robertson, Andrei Kuzmenko, Hendrix Lapierre, Declan Carlile, Trevor Van Riemsdyk, and Kaeden Korczak.
Montreal’s goaltending situation is still officially unsettled, but it would be a surprise if Jakub Dobes isn’t back in net after his first outing. Dobes has appeared against Pittsburgh once, in last season’s 4-3 shootout loss, and he carries a 2.77 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in that matchup. Samuel Montembeault, meanwhile, has a 2-3-1 record in seven games against the Penguins, along with a 3.72 GAA and an .880 save percentage.
Pittsburgh’s side of the crease could look a little different depending on the decision behind it. Artus Silovs started the Penguins’ shutout win earlier this week and has faced Montreal once, winning that game with a 2.77 GAA and an .880 save percentage against the Canadiens. Sergei Murashov, who has five NHL games on his résumé, has never faced Montreal.
Up front, Montreal still has one lineup question hanging over it in Oliver Kapanen. And while Florian Xhekaj’s status isn’t confirmed, the Penguins’ style suggests he could remain out of the mix, since Pittsburgh is not known as a particularly physical team.
The individual scoring history leans heavily toward a few familiar names. Chris Kreider leads the Canadiens against Dan Muse’s team with 38 points in 47 games. Nick Suzuki follows with 13 points in 18 games, and Josh Anderson has 12 points in 29 games.
For Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby is the obvious threat, with 72 points in 55 games against Montreal. Evgeny Malkin is right behind him at 64 points in 52 games, while Erik Karlsson sits third with 44 points in 55 games, just ahead of Kris Letang, who has 41 points in 50 games.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, with Sportsnet carrying the game in English and TVA Sports in French. Trevor Hanson and Liam Maaskant will referee, and David Brisebois and Jesse Marquis will work the lines. Montreal’s next stop after this one is its home opener Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
In Other News...
Canadiens Showed Real Fight But One New Concern Could Linger
The Canadiens got the kind of response they needed against Pittsburgh, pushing back after a rough stretch and forcing the game past regulation before falling in overtime. Montreals top line was again at the center of it, with Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Chris Kreider driving the offense and giving the club a much-needed spark when it found itself chasing the game.
The bigger concern may be on the blue line, where Alexandre Carrier exited early and never returned, leaving his status up in the air afterward. For a team that just showed it can claw its way back into a game, losing another defenseman would be a tough complication to absorb, especially with the Canadiens trying to build on a performance that offered plenty of encouragement even in defeat. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Have Every Reason To Be Furious About That OT Loss
The Canadiens had every reason to feel they left points on the table after an overtime loss to Pittsburgh that already had plenty of tension before the final sequence. Montreal got the start it wanted with Cole Caufield opening the scoring, then watched Chris Kreider and Ivan Demidov help push the game to extra time in a matchup that felt tight all night.
In overtime, though, the conversation shifted to a disputed sequence that left the Canadiens and their fans seething. Ivan Demidov appeared to be impeded on the play leading into the Penguins winner, and Thomas Novaks goal counted anyway, turning a hard-fought game into a frustrating finish that is sure to linger for Montreal well beyond the final horn. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Deadline Pursuit Was Bigger Than Fans Realized
The Canadiens were closer to making a major move at the last trade deadline than many around the team realized. Jeff Gorton said Montreal was in serious discussions with two different teams, a sign that Kent Hughes and the front office were pushing hard to add in a market where the cost kept climbing and the competition for impact players stayed fierce. Footage from the period also showed Hughes putting a hefty package on the table, underscoring how aggressively the Canadiens were trying to explore their options.
Even without a deal getting across the line, the episode adds more context to how Montreal has been operating under Hughes and Gorton, especially with the organization still balancing present-day upgrades against the bigger-picture plan. The deadline chatter also sits alongside the broader swirl of rumors around Matthew Knies and the shifting landscape in Toronto, where management changes can alter the way trade talks unfold. For the Canadiens, the takeaway is clear: they were in the hunt, and the price tag was substantial. [Read more 🡒]