The Vegas Golden Knights own a special place in Montreal Canadiens lore, but we'll get to that part of their story later in the article. In the regular season, the teams played just 12 games, with the Canadiens holding a 5-6-1 record.
The Canadiens are in the middle of a six-game losing streak against the Golden Knights, a far cry from where they were in the early portion of Vegas' NHL tenure. The Golden Knights have been a force in the league since their inception, but the Canadiens owned a four-game winning streak at the beginning, lasting from November 10, 2018, to January 18, 2020.
Canadiens-Golden Knights recent history
The Canadiens and Golden Knights had some exciting games last season, including a 3-2 overtime result in Vegas. However, their game at the Bell Centre was must-watch TV with a 6-5 score.
The Canadiens jumped out to an early lead with goals from Alex Newhook and Johnathan Kovacevic. However, the Golden Knights scored four goals in the second period to make it a 4-4 game entering the third period.
Jack Eichel and Mark Stone scored back-to-back powerplay markers with two minutes remaining in the third period, and a Justin Barron tally to make it 6-5 wasn't enough to mount a comeback.
Shea Theodore led the way with a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights, while Jesse Ylonen also received a star for his two-goal performance in the second period. Cayden Primeau was the goaltender for the Habs, allowing six goals on 42 shots.
Canadiens-Golden Knights playoff history
The most critical games these teams played since Vegas joined the league was the 2021 "conference" finals. Montreal upset their way through the Canadian division, but Vegas stood in their way for a Stanley Cup Final berth.
It seemed improbable after Vegas won Game 1, but the Canadiens rallied to win four of their next five games and advance to the finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The postseason didn't end like the Canadiens wanted, but nevertheless, the Vegas series is a core memory for Habs fans. They haven't been able to find the same success since that moment against the Golden Knights.