The Montreal Canadiens started the post-break schedule with a bang when they defeated the Ottawa Senators. Still, it won't get any easier when they battle the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Canadiens will also be without Kirby Dach, who seems to have suffered a lower-body injury in the Senators game and could miss some time while he gets it evaluated. Montreal has their backs against the wall when it comes to contending for a playoff spot, and a Dach injury doesn't help.
How to Watch Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal Canadiens
Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Venue: Bell Centre
How to Watch: TSN2, RDS, Fanduel Sports Network, FuboTV
This will be the first of three matchups this season between the Hurricanes and Canadiens. Carolina is performing well this season with a 33-20-4 record, but there seems to be some reason for concern in Raleigh. They recently acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche, but were forced to move Martin Necas in the deal. They felt Rantanen was an upgrade, but it now looks like they won't be able to reach a contract extension. If they feel too far apart, Carolina could flip him again at the deadline.
The Hurricanes are hoping they can turn it around, as they've lost four of the past five games. It feels like a good opportunity against the Canadiens, but there are some reasons for optimism. Patrik Laine scoring in his first game back is one positive, while Juraj Slafkovsky also played like a new player on Saturday night.
Slafkovsky talked about playing with more jam before the first game after the break, and it seems like he wasn't kidding around about those claims. He was a monster in the game against the Senators, and he will turn the Canadiens into a threat if he brings that intensity consistently. The one thing I'd caution and wonder is why it seems Slafkovsky plays his best hockey when the Canadiens fall out of the playoff race. His season went on a similar trajectory last year as he broke out at the end when the playoffs were nearly out of reach.