The Montreal Canadiens didn’t need a star-heavy night to put away the Boston Bruins, and that’s exactly what made this one stand out.
Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson managed just one point between them, but Montreal still rolled to a statement win because the rest of the lineup kept coming. That’s the kind of game the old Canadiens probably lose. This version found offense from everywhere.
It started with the fourth line, and it started fast. Just 2:34 into the first period, Dach opened the scoring after taking a pass from Arber Xhekaj at the blue line, going the long way around the Boston defenders, circling behind the net and finishing with a wraparound. Dach has taken his share of criticism, but he has been playing extremely well on Montreal’s new-look fourth line with Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook.
Josh Anderson kept the pressure on from there. Montreal’s second-leading goalscorer this season, Anderson is on pace to top his career high of 27, which he set in 2018-19 with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He made it 2-0 in the first period by batting a rebound out of the air and past Jeremy Swayman.
The third line joined in next. Anderson and Jake Evans connected again in the second period, this time with Evans finishing a breakaway set up by Anderson to push the Canadiens ahead 3-0. Anderson has found strong chemistry with Evans and Chris Kreider, and that line kept driving play.
Then came the group that has quietly become one of Montreal’s most important weapons. Zachary Bolduc, Phillip Danault and Alexandre Texier didn’t begin the season as the Canadiens’ second line, but their steady work has earned them more responsibility.
Local media have called them the "French Connection", and while they haven’t reached the level of the Buffalo Sabres’ famous forward line, they’ve been central to Montreal’s success. Against Boston, Danault finished the job with a one-timer past Michael DiPietro to make it 5-0 and put the game out of reach.
That depth matters because it’s the next step for a team trying to move from promising to dangerous. Last season, plenty of the conversation around Montreal centered on how young the group was, and that inexperience showed in the playoffs.
Even after reaching the Eastern Conference Final, they were beaten by a deeper, more seasoned team. The Carolina Hurricanes spent years making long playoff runs before finally breaking through and winning the Stanley Cup last season, and their depth was a huge part of that.
This Canadiens team looks more equipped for that kind of path. Through 19 games, the depth has mattered as much as the stars, and Montreal has already shown it can survive absences without losing its footing.
Earlier this season, the Canadiens won five straight without Suzuki and Ivan Demidov in the lineup. That kind of resilience is a big reason they’re tied for first in the Atlantic Division, and it showed again against the Bruins.
In Other News...
Canadiens Win Came With One Chris Kreider Concern Fans Feared
Chris Kreiders night against the Boston Bruins ended with an image Canadiens fans would rather not see. After a knee-on-knee collision with Michael Eyssimont, Kreider was in visible pain and had trouble walking off the ice, leaving Montreal to wait on word about how serious the injury might be and what it could mean for the stretch ahead.
For a Canadiens team that has leaned on Kreider as a major contributor this season, the timing matters as much as the concern itself. Even in a win, the uncertainty around his availability lingers over the next few games, with Montreal now hoping the initial scare does not turn into a longer absence. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Have Found A Pairing They Can Trust Most
Mike Mathesons return from a six-game absence gave the Canadiens something they have been missing, and it showed right away in a win over the Bruins. Montreal leaned on Matheson and Kaiden Guhle in the kind of minutes that reveal whether a pair can be trusted, and the two were matched heavily against Boston star David Pastrk while helping keep the danger level down.
For a team still sorting out its defensive structure, that matters. Matheson and Guhle have already flashed strong results in their limited time together this season, and the Bruins game only added to the case that they may be Montreals most dependable pairing when the matchups get tough. If that holds, it gives the Canadiens a clearer answer for how they want to handle elite opponents going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Ivan Demidov Update Leaves Canadiens Fans With More Concern Than Clarity
Ivan Demidovs status has become one of the quieter but more closely watched storylines around the Canadiens, especially with the young winger still on injured reserve after the ankle injury he suffered on Sept. 21. Montreal has kept the recovery process tight-lipped, giving the public very little access to his rehab work, and the timeline already points to a return no earlier than Nov. 14.
The latest update did little to clear the fog. Demidov reportedly skated once between Monday and Wednesday, but he is still wearing a walking boot, which only adds to the uncertainty around how far along he really is. With some speculation now drifting toward the possibility of surgery, the Canadiens are left with more questions than answers on a player whose development and availability are both worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]