Montreal Canadiens ready to show the Philadelphia Flyers that it's Lane's world

Montreal Canadiens, and rookie sensation Lane Hutson host fellow Calder Trophy-hopeful Matvei Michkov, as his Philadelphia Flyers pay a visit to the Bell Centre on Saturday night.

If you're looking for a battle that is worth the price of admission, then you've come to the right place. Hutson and Michkov make for must-watch hockey, and aside from the two - only Dustin Wolf and Macklin Celebrini have any credibility in an argument about who is deserving of the 2024-25 season best rookie award.

Michkov has 58 points (24 goals, 34 assists) in 74 games with the Flyers this season, while Hutson has played 75 games, and recorded 62 points (five goals, 57 assists). Michkov has been impressive without a doubt, and I constantly think about Michkov and Ivan Demidov feeding each other passes, but what Hutson is doing is the best rookie season by a defenseman - we're talking historical stuff - and no current defenseman, had a better statistical Calder season than Hutson.

Both are impressive, and right under the two of them - Wolf and Celebrini have been impressive to watch. Hutson's former teammate with the Boston University Terriers - Celebrini, has been impressive as an 18-year-old, scoring 54 points (21-33-54) in 63 games. While Flames rookie netminder, Wolf, has started 47 games (25-16-6) and his personal statistics - .910 SV% and 2.62 GAA - have been impressive.

Either way, it's going to be a great race to watch unfold down the stretch, but I am confident that Hutson will continue to be the favourite through 82 games. Back to the game though.

The Flyers gave the Habs all they could handle on March 27, besting Montreal at the Wells Fargo Center, by a score of 6-4. Montreal has gone 3-1-0 since that game, including a pair of wins over the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers.

It's going to be a good one, and I expect that Lane and Matvei will have their prints all over the game.

Onto the game

Two minutes into the period, the Flyers have the shot advantage (2-0) but Jake Evans almost put a Flyers player into the bench with a timely body check.

Once again Michael Pezzetta is in the lineup, and Oliver Kapanen got the nod, which is certainly a great decision.

Former Canadiens 2017 first-round draft selection Ryan Poehling drew first blood for the visitors, after a great pass from Quebec native Jakob Pelletier.

With 15 minutes on the clock, the Canadiens are nursing a one-goal deficit, but there is one shot directed toward Flyers starter Samuel Ersson, it's going to be a steep hill to climb for the tying tally.

Alexandre Carrier got his stick up on Michkov, and the Flyers' rookie scoring sensation came up leaking blood. Philadelphia is off to the power play for four minutes.

It's tough to think of a worse start, and for whatever reason, the Flyers give the Habs the most trouble. Considering that they beat Montreal 6-4 on March 27, this isn't an encouraging start.

Habs' Captain Nick Suzuki broke into the Flyers zone with Christian Dvorak following in the wings, and the pair tried to work some penalty-killing magic. Unfortunately, Dvorak's backhand attempt was turned aside.

Joel Armia drove wide into the Flyers zone, and the puck came squirting out to Suzuki, who was entering the O-zone. He fired a nice attempt toward Ersson, but it wasn't enough.

The Canadiens killed the double minor off, and they're looking for the tying goal. Hutson worked a nice play around the O-zone, and Heineman had a quality chance in the slot, but Ersson was square to the play.

Caufield made a great feed to Juraj Slafkovsky, and he quickly passed it to Suzuki, who fired a quick shot at Ersson. But it was a no-go.

Montreal is off to the power play, and they are lurking. But the Flyers aren't backing down.

After the penalty expired, Kapanen had a couple of huge chances, during a shift with Brendan Gallagher and Alex Newhook. This is a line that is certainly interesting.

Four minutes remain in the first period, and the Flyers have kept their one-goal lead intact, though the Habs have made a huge push.

The last twenty seconds were a frenzy in the Flyers zone, and if Montreal had a little more time, they might have popped in the tying goal. But it did not happen - 1-0 Flyers after twenty.

Second Period

Two minutes into the second period, Newhook drew an interference call against Jamie Drysdale that was everything but called.

Another two minutes have passed, and there is still nothing from the Habs on the scoreboard. Pezzetta had a great opportunity but blew the puck wide of the net.

Caufield deflected a shot pass from Suzuki, who made a great play from the right half-wall. Ersson got a piece of the puck and kept it out.

Laine had a nice attempt that hit a defender's shin pad and bounced into the corner. Then Dvorak got posterized with a slick windmill glove save by Ersson.

Suzuki made a nice cut in the offensive zone and dropped the put to Caufield, who fired a low snapshot low trapper side on Ersson, who snagged the puck quickly.

Hutson fed Laine a one-timer pass, and the Finn got all of it, but so did Ersson.

Pelletier is off to the box, for the Flyers' second penalty of the game, and the Habs are looking hungrier over the last couple of minutes.

Montreal's man advantage has been less than ideal, as they struggled for about one minute of it to enter the Flyers zone. Then Ersson kicked aside their only real shot on net.

Poehling cleared the puck with the penalty kill expiring, and the score remains 1-0 Philadelphia.

Suzuki had the best chance of the entire game, and Ersson robbed him with his blocker. Unbelievable what this gone has done to the Habs tonight to this point.

Hutson uncharacteristically fired a slapshot toward the net that hit Bobby Brink, who got a good sting.

Montreal has directed 13 shots toward Ersson, and he has made each stop look very routine.

Slafkovsky made a nice rush, pushing the defence on their heels, before firing a heavy snapshot into the chest of Ersson.

Montembeault collects a fluttering puck with 1.1 seconds on the clock, and the Flyers maintain their one-goal lead through forty minutes.

Third Period

With 20 minutes to try and tie this thing up, the Habs have a chance to get a four-point lead over the New York Rangers who lost 4-0 to the New Jersey Devils today.

It's not that Ersson is a bad goalie, but he isn't Mr. Saturday night and the Habs have made him look like he is the main event.

Mr. Trusty - Brendan Gallagher has scored his 20th of the season, and the Bell Centre is absolutely rocking, you can barely hear the whistle, and Mr. Lacroix announcing the goal.

Montreal has made it a game early, making up for a fun period with 18 minutes to play.

And Hutson scored the nicest of all his goals for sure, pulling a trick out of Patrick Kane's playbook and sniped Ersson short-side with a beauty wrister. Hutson has six goals and 57 assists for 63 points

Seconds later Kapanen almost sent Pezzetta in all alone, but the puck bounced the wrong way. But wow, what a goal from rookie defenseman Lane Hutson. One point separates him and Chris Chelios (64) for the most points by a Canadiens rookie defenseman in the club's history.

Montreal knows that the only thing better than a one-goal lead is a two-goal lead, so the quest for an insurance marker must be methodical and laser-focused.

The game has opened up, and now the Habs are showing the Flyers some skating 101.

Dvorak almost had a gimme, but he slipped the puck wide of the net, while Ersson was practically down and out.

I forgot to mention, but Suzuki drew an assist on Hutson's goal for his 82nd point of the season, giving him his first point-per-game season.

Montreal is off to the penalty kill, with Slafkovsky earning the gate for boarding against Flyers captain Sean Couturier.

Evans and Joel Armia are up to their old tricks, as Evans had a great chance to pull ahead by two with a back-breaking shorthanded tally.

And moments later, Suzuki collected a rebound and fired it between the wickets on Ersson, for his 27th of the year. Montreal has killed off the penalty, and pulled ahead by two goals just five seconds apart.

Montreal has tasted blood, and they are circling the Flyers in search of more offense.

Perhaps the Habs are also putting on a show for Josh Anderson, who will be a new dad any day now.

Either way, the Canadiens solved Ersson, and they are well on their way to another win.

3:14 remains, and Ersson is on the bench, with the Flyers trying to cut their deficit in half.

Montreal will play the final 1:47 on the penalty kill, after Mike Matheson threw the puck over the glass, giving the Flyers the perfect opportunity to score. The Flyers pulled Ersson, so it's six on four.

Foerster smacked Evans stick out of his hands, and the Flyers scored just second after. But there was no call on the play, and the Flyers are down by one with 38.5 seconds remaining.

Foerster gets the goal, because Evans doesn't have his stick to take away the shooting option.

Montreal pulled out the win, after the referee's nearly screwed the Canadiens good.