The Montreal Canadiens are set to face off against one of the NHL’s hottest teams today, the Colorado Avalanche, in Denver. Nathan MacKinnon is leading the scoring charts with 39 points in 23 games, supported by teammates Martin Necas with 30 points and Artturi Lehkonen with 21 points. Defenseman Cale Makar continues to dominate with 30 points, outpacing the second-highest scoring defenseman, Josh Morrissey, by seven points.
Jakub Dobes, who took over goalkeeping duties for the Canadiens in Friday’s game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, will start again this afternoon. The Czech rookie has only faced the Avalanche once before, last January, where he was named the game’s best player after helping the Canadiens secure a 2-1 shootout win, stopping 22 of 23 shots in regulation and two in the shootout, finishing with a .957 save percentage. Coach Sainte-Flannel will be relying on him to deliver similarly exceptional performance today.
The Avalanche boast the best goaltending stats in the league this season, with Scott Wedgwood and Mackenzie Blackwood both excelling—a .918 save percentage for Wedgwood and an impressive .928 for Blackwood. Wedgwood’s strong performance has even put him on the radar for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team, especially given current injuries and struggles among other goaltenders.
Despite Wedgwood primarily guarding the net for Colorado this season, he has only played once against the Canadiens, posting a 4.45 GAA and .778 save percentage. Blackwood’s track record against Montreal is much stronger, with a 5-0-2 record, 2.47 GAA, and .922 save percentage. After Wedgwood scored in Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild, Blackwood is expected to be the starting goalie today.
In their last 10 matchups, the Avalanche have won six, including their most recent 5-4 shootout victory last March, where Montembeau scored for Montreal but allowed four goals on 37 shots. Colorado’s 10-game winning streak ended with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Wild on Friday.
Montreal must keep a close watch on MacKinnon, who leads the scoring race with seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points in 19 games against the Canadiens. Former Habs player Lehkonen has five points in as many games versus Montreal, and standout defenseman Makar has tallied 10 points in just nine games.
Canadiens forward Cole Caufield aims to extend his point streak to seven games, having collected two goals and five assists over his last six outings. Caufield had four points in six previous games against Colorado and will look to boost that total. Zachary Bolduc, with five points in his last two games, seeks to sustain his run after three points in five matchups against the Avalanche. Team captain Nick Suzuki has recorded nine points in as many games against Colorado.
The puck drops at 3 p.m., with the game airing live on ALT, TSN2, and RDS.
Following this game, Montreal returns home for a rest day on Sunday before resuming practice Monday morning in Brossard, preparing for their Tuesday night encounter with the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Center.
Fan Take: This matchup highlights the thrilling intensity of NHL competition, with rising stars like Dobes and veteran leaders like MacKinnon showcasing their talent. For hockey fans, it underscores the league’s blend of emerging talent and established stars shaping the season’s dynamics and hopes of playoff success.
