The Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers square off for the second time this season, with the Habs winning the first matchup 4-3 in October. The teams finish their season series with another matchup at the Bell Centre on April 5. The hope is that one game got everyone over the Matvei Michkov issue, but it's likely something the Canadiens will listen to for at least the next couple of years. Michkov struggled in the first matchup this year, recording no shots and no points in 21 minutes of ice time.
How to Watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Venue: Wells Fargo Center
How to Watch: TSN2, RDS, NBCSP, FuboTV
The Canadiens could have one of the most intriguing matchups of the night, and it isn't because of the playoff race they find themselves in. The Flyers and John Tortorella parted ways on Thursday morning, which makes this the first game for interim head coach Brad Shaw. It'll be interesting to see how the Flyers play with Tortorella's leash taken off them, especially Michkov. Opposing teams always have to be weary of the new coach bump when a team fires their leader, and the Canadiens are the unfortunate victims of that tonight. Tortorella's departure could provide the most significant new coach bump we've seen.
The Canadiens hope to bounce back from their abysmal performance against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. All the teams surrounding the Canadiens in the playoff race have been losing this week, which makes Tuesday's loss even more disappointing. Montreal can make up for it in this game by increasing its lead on the New York Islanders and New York Rangers to three points.
it looks like Jakub Dobes could be between the pipes on Thursday night, as Martin St. Louis revealed his two goalies will get a start each over the next two nights. Saving Montembeault for the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday is a bold move, but one that could pay off for St. Louis. Most coaches go with the strategy of playing their No. 1 against the weaker team and hanging the backup out to dry against the good team. A Dobes loss against the Flyers will put even more pressure on Montembeault for Friday.