The Montreal Canadiens will take the train to the Nation's capital to take on the Ottawa Senators for their first game after the break. It's time to head into the stretch run for the Habs, and the stress of whether they will compete for a playoff spot is as prominent as ever. The Canadiens didn't think they had much of a chance to do that before the break, but the injury issues with some of the division's best players could open up the playoff race if they are out for a long time. Four Atlantic Division teams ahead of the Canadiens are missing or have banged-up superstars on their roster.
How to Watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Venue: Canadian Tire Centre
How to Watch: City, Sportsnet, TVA Sports, FuboTV
The big question entering this game is whether Brady Tkachuk will suit up for the Senators. He missed the final two periods of the USA's last round-robin game, and looked to be battling through something pre-game before the Championship on Thursday night. The Senators could opt to give their captain the night off like some other franchises are doing, but there's a good chance he will be in the lineup.
Sam Montembeault will start for the Canadiens, fresh off his championship victory. The Canadiens are likely happy with Montembeault's break, as he got a chance to learn from the league's best and face them in practice every day but didn't go through the fatigue of having to play every game. Montembeault didn't dress for any of Canada's games.
Patrik Laine gained some confidence after a good showing at the tournament. In the pre-tournament press conference, he commented about his dwindling ice time on the Canadiens, so it'll be interesting to see how he reacts to that in his return to Montreal. Will he continue to sulk about it and return to his form before the break, or is his Four Nations Faceoff success going to carry over?