Torrid Canadiens aim to stay hot vs. Blues

The Montreal Canadiens look to extend their four-game point streak and remain unbeaten on their road trip when they visit the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.

The Canadiens are 3-0-1 in their last four games and 5-1-1 in their last seven. Their strong recent form includes wins in the first two stops on the club's four-game road trip.

Sunday's 2-1 Heritage Classic victory over the Winnipeg Jets saw Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle score in the second period. The Habs then had to hold off a late surge from the Jets after Winnipeg's Isak Rosen scored 15:24 into the third frame.

Montreal is 5-0-1 when leading at the second intermission this season, but Hutson described the Canadiens' ability to close out games as "a work in progress."

"We're just trying to do hard actions, play the same way, and play prideful hockey," Hutson said. "And I feel like we're doing a better job of it, limiting our risk and still learning how to play with the lead. But, we're doing a pretty good job of putting ourselves in these situations."

Montreal has killed 26 of 29 penalties over its last seven games but continues to struggle on the power play, converting just 4 of 32 opportunities this season.

Winnipeg outshot Montreal 34-21, but goaltender Jacob Fowler delivered a 33-save performance. Fowler is 5-1-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in six starts this season.

Fowler's recent performances have strengthened his claim to the starting job, although Montreal could turn to the struggling Jakub Dobes on Tuesday.

St. Louis faces a similar decision about sticking with the hot hand in Joel Hofer or giving Jordan Binnington another chance in net. The Blues interrupted their usual goalie usage pattern to start Hofer on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Hofer stopped 35 of 39 shots while his teammates did little in a 4-0 Blues loss.

Saturday's defeat was St. Louis' first shutout loss of the season and its first regulation defeat at home. Coach Jim Montgomery described the performance as humbling against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

"(The Hurricanes) were as committed in the third period up 3-0, up 4-0 as they were at the start of the game," Montgomery said. "And it's an opportunity for us. It's hard work, but that hard work becomes who you are when you do it every day and in practice, and it translates. ... That's what we've got to work towards every day, and we'll get there."

Mason McTavish (six goals, four assists) and Dylan Holloway (three goals, seven assists) are tied for the Blues' team lead with 10 points each. Holloway leads the club in assists, while McTavish and Jimmy Snuggerud share the team lead in goals.

Robert Thomas led St. Louis with 25 goals during the 2025-26 campaign, though the forward is off to a slower start this season. Thomas has only one goal along with five assists over the Blues' first 11 games.

The Blues are 5-1-0 in their last six games with the Canadiens, dating back to the 2023-24 season.

--Field Level Media