The Chicago Blackhawks travel to the Bell Center to take on the Montreal Canadiens tonight at 8:30 PM ET. This will be the second and final meeting between these two Original Six franchises this season. The Blackhawks won the previous matchup 4-2 in Chicago back in January. With everything on the line for Montreal, this game suddenly carries major postseason implications.

 

Recent Performance
Chicago Blackhawks (23-47-10)
Chicago has dropped three of their last five games, including a 5-0 shutout loss to Penguins. It’s been a tough year for the rebuilding Hawks, who are ranked 5th worst in the league for goals per game (2.71) and have struggled to generate consistent offense. Still, this final stretch is valuable experience for their young core, led by rookie sensation Connor Bedard.

 

Montreal Canadiens (39-31-10)
Montreal has lost their last two games, most recently losing 1-0 in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite a rollercoaster season, the Canadiens are now one win away from punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They average 2.95 goals per game while allowing 3.20, and their young core has found another gear in crunch time.

 

Team Records and Trends
Chicago Blackhawks

• Overall Record: 23-47-10
• Road Record: 8-26-5
• Power Play: 24% (11th in the NHL)
• Penalty Kill: 80% (13th in the NHL)
• Last 10 Games: 3-5-2

 

Montreal Canadiens

• Overall Record: 39-31-10
• Home Record: 22-12-5
• Power Play: 20.3% (21st in the NHL)
• Penalty Kill: 81.4% (7th in the NHL)
• Last 10 Games: 6-3-1

 

Key Players to Watch
Chicago Blackhawks

• Connor Bedard – The 2023 first-overall pick hasn’t quite lived up to the hype this season but this is due to his team being so bad. The good thing is he is also leading the team with 21 goals and 42 assists. He’s a bright spot in a difficult season.
• Frank Nazar – The 2022 13th overall pick in the NHL draft has brought a jolt of speed and energy to this lineup. Still adjusting to the pace, but showing glimpses of top-six potential. He has 23 points in 51 games played.

 

Montreal Canadiens

• Nick Suzuki – The captain continues to be Montreal’s most consistent player, posting 29 goals and 58 assists so far this season. His continued effort against opponents’ top lines has been impressive, as he’s been tasked with shutting down some of the best.
• Ivan Demidov – The highly skilled Russian rookie brought flair and playmaking to his former club SKA St Petersburg who was recently eliminated in the KHL playoffs. The Habs will be deploying him tonight on the left wing with Alex Newhook and Joel Armia in his debut tonight. His creativity and puck skills make him a must-watch every shift.

 

Injury Report
Chicago Blackhawks

• Colton Dach – Out
• Jason Dickinson – LTIR

 

Montreal Canadiens

• Emil Heineman – Out
• Rafael Harvey-Pinard – Out

 

Goaltending Matchup
Chicago Blackhawks

• Arvid Söderblom – Confirmed to start. Söderblom has had an up-and-down season, going 9-18-7 record in 35 games with a goals against average of 3.19 and a save percentage of .899 this season. He’ll look to end the year on a high note with a strong performance.

 

Montreal Canadiens

• Sam Montembeault – Confirmed starter. Montembeault has shown flashes of brilliance, going 30-24-6 in 60 games with a goals against average of 2.83 and a save percentage of .901 this season. He’ll need to be dialed in with the playoffs on the line.

 

Game Outlook
For the Montreal Canadiens, everything comes down to tonight. A win over Chicago clinches a playoff spot and caps off a dramatic late-season surge. Expect a focused, high-intensity effort from the Habs, who will be looking to set the tone early and avoid a letdown against a struggling Blackhawks squad. Chicago, meanwhile, will relish the spoiler role and could play loose and unpredictable behind their young core. All eyes will be on the Canadiens to see if they can rise to the moment and secure their first postseason berth since 2021.

 

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