Montreal Canadiens face battle tested Florida Panthers

The Montreal Canadiens welcome the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, while in the thick of a battle for the second wildcard position in the East.

After faltering to the Seattle Kraken, the Canadiens have had a few days to let the overtime loss stew. Montreal is hoping to turn the page quickly, and get back in the win column. In their way, however, is Aleksander Barkov and a very potent, well-balance Panthers squad, primed for another big playoff run. The defending champions should give the Habs all that they can handle, and it this time of year, these are the important games for the CH.

Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens are sort of in the middle of the pack, not quite Stanley Cup playoff contenders. They will squeak in, if so, and while it's good for the culture and the morale in the dressing room, it feels a little soon. Winning and defining a culture is important, but missing the playoffs, and losing out on a top-10 pick will be a bitter pill to swallow.

Florida is very good, and so are the other seven teams that will represent the eastern conference in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Suzuki and Cole Caufield tasted playoff puck in 2021, but it has been anything but easy since. Bottling everything up, the Habs top two players are hoping to put the hard times, and lessons to good use.

If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best, and in the east, Florida and the Washington Capitals are the top dogs. Ringing off a win against the Panthers tonight, would be a huge confidence boost ahead of Tuesday night's matchup against the Ottawa Senators. In normal times these games are calendar-worthy, but with the playoffs approaching, every win is so much more important.

Onto the game

Caufield got a nice feed from Juraj Slafkovsky early in the slot, and it was on and off his stick in seconds, but Sergei Bobrovsky isn't a Vezina Trophy winner for no reason. The athletic masked man between the pipes for the Panthers, is very much in his prime, and on the top of his game.

Nearly four minutes have passed, and the Habs have the slight edge in shots 2-1, but there is no score yet.

Every game feels like a playoff game, and right in the middle of everything is Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson. I hear the argument of the Habs not quite having the personnel yet to be competitive. But Gallagher and Anderson are two guys that will help Montreal when they get to that point.

Canadiens are off to the power play, after Anderson received a slash from Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich. The Habs worked the puck around Florida's zone, and then it came to the top of the zone. Lane Hutson set up Patrik Laine in the high left slot, and the big Finn made no mistake placing a wrister under the bear behind Bobrovsky for his 16th of the season.

Hutson has his 52nd point of the season, and Caufield his 28th assist, and 60th point of the season. Hutson's assist is his 48th of his rookie season. Caufield is now five points shy of his entire 2023-24 total (65).

Suzuki raced into Florida's zone all alone, but Bobrovsky chased down the puck before he could get there, and cleared it out of the zone. I have to think that Paul Maurice was pulling his hair out watching Bobrovsky. But, Bobrovsky has been a finalist for the Vezina Trophy three times, winning it twice - he knows what he is doing.

Florida is back to the penalty kill, after Sam Bennett caught Christian Dvorak with a high stick.

Unfortunately, the Habs played back-and-forth retrieving the puck out of their zone, which ate up much of the power play. But, Alex Newhook intimidated the Panthers with his speed, before dropping a pass to Suzuki and heading to the net. Suzuki made a smart pass to Newhook, who deflected it past Bobrovsky.

But Maurice challenged the play for goaltender interference, and Gallagher got a little too close. The call was reversed, and the Canadiens return to the power play with 33 seconds remaining on their five on four advantage. But the Habs were unable to get their second goal.

5:46 remains on the clock, and the Habs still hold a one-goal lead over the Panthers. Shots are tied 4-4.

Evans broke in on a partial breakaway sprung by a great Joel Armia pass, but Bobrovsky turned aside his bid. Then the Habs next sequence in the Panthers zone, Joshua Roy had a great chance, but has nothing to show for it.

The ensuing faceoff was won by Suzuki, Slafkovsky got the puck the top of the zone between the dots, and found Caufield wide open in the high-slot. Caufield fired the puck between Bobrovsky's feet before he could get set. Caufield has 33 goals on the season, and Slafkovsky has his 40th point of the season.

2-0 Montreal, and after 20 minutes, the Panthers have just five shots on net and Montreal had six.

Second Period

Florida has tilted the ice in the Habs zone to start the period, and challenged with their quick, physical forecheck.

Samoskevich emerged from behind the Habs net, and fired a puck through traffic that beat Montembeault. Florida cuts their deficit in half.

Slafkovsky entered the zone, showing off his strength and great ability to pivot, and hold the defender on his back and make a play. The puck worked around to Xhekaj, who had a great look on Bobrovsky.

After eight minutes of play, the game remains tied, and it feels like the Canadiens are sitting back on their lead a little bit. Shots are 8-8, and there isn't a whole lot happening.

Seth Jones just put a point shot off the iron, and Bennett had a great opportunity trying to work a wraparound past Montembeault, who stood tall and held his post.

Hutson almost danced around a defender, and then pulled off a near backhand finish past Bobrovsky. Then Roy almost batted a puck out of the air at Bobrovsky, after a great forecheck from Laine forced a turnover in Florida's zone.

There is already just six minutes remaining in the middle frame, and the game hasn't seen high shot volume at all. Right now, the way it's going, the Habs next goal could be the winner. But Florida is only one away from a tie, there is very much still a hockey game up for grabs.

With 2:07 remaining, the Canadiens have drawn their third penalty of the game - Nikko Mikkola, for hooking Laine. Slafkovsky just missed a near gift in the mid air.

The Canadiens have pressed hard, and with the clock winding down they are still in search of their third of the game. But, before the period could end, Emil Heineman is heading to the box for interference against Nico Sturm.

2-1 after forty minutes, and the shots are 14-11 for the Canadiens.

Third Period

Montembeault, and the Habs defence need to hold the fort early, with the Panthers on the power play.

it's been relatively back and forth, with neither team giving much space in front of their net. The middle of the ice has been pretty clogged up, and both teams are playing cautiously aggressive.

It felt for a little while that Florida might get the tying goal, but the Canadiens' third line put together some nice passing. David Savard's slapshot hit Christian Dvorak's stick in the low slot and found its way past Bobrovsky for the Canadiens' third of the night.

Montreal regains their two-goal lead, with just under 12 minutes left to play.

Evans found himself in alone after a great feed from Armia at the top of Florida's zone. He tried to go to the backhand for the finish, but Bobrovsky was right there with him.

The Bell Centre faithful are proudly chanting with five minutes and change remaining on the clock.

Dvorak is off to the box at 3:33 for a high stick against Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling. Big kill up ahead for the Canadiens.

Maurice pulled Bobrovsky for the six on four advantage, to try and make things interesting heading into the final two minutes of the game. Montembeault made his best save of the game, stealing a sure goal away from Carter Verhaeghe with his glove.

With 11 seconds left on the kill, Montembeault came up with another great stop, this time on Barkov. Marty called a timeout right after the whistle.

Florida has commandingly pulled ahead in the shot department, but No. 35 has been solid as a rock between the pipes.