On their last visit on Jan. 25, the New Jersey Devils became the first NHL team to win nine straight games against the Canadiens in Montreal.
The Devils will try to tie the score when they visit the skidding Canadiens for a Saturday matinee.
New Jersey has won both matchups this season, including last month’s 4-3 victory when Jack Hughes scored on a breakaway with 54 seconds left in overtime. The Devils also defeated the Canadiens 5-3 in Newark, N.J., on Nov. 7.
It’s the final game before the two-week break for the Four Nations Tournament for New Jersey, while it’s the first game of a back-to-back home game for Montreal that concludes Sunday afternoon against Tampa Bay.
New Jersey, third in the Metropolitan Division, is coming off a 3-1 loss at home to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, its third loss in the last five games. The Devils were outshot 40-15 in the game, including 25-9 in the first two periods, and received their share of boos during the game.
«We had moments where we were good, but good is not good enough,» Devils forward Stefan Noesen said. «Hopefully we can learn from this and understand that’s what it takes to win. They double-shot us, too cute. At some point we have to figure this out.»
New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe credited a veteran Vegas team that was willing to snap a four-game losing streak.
«I don’t think the intensity was an issue at all,» Keefe said. «I just thought (Vegas) played a smarter game. Bigger, smarter, more skilled.»
«It’s a real team. It’s a Stanley Cup (2023) championship team and you have to adapt your game. You have to find a way.»
Despite the loss, the Devils left for Montreal on Friday with a six-point lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets for third place in the division.
Montreal, which has lost six of its last seven games (1-5-1), returns home after a 1-2-0 road trip to California that concluded with a 6-3 loss in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The Canadiens, who never led, pulled within 4-3 after Logan Mailloux’s goal with 6:23 left, but Kevin Fiala answered for the Kings with his second goal of the period just 35 seconds later. Trevor Moore sealed the win for Los Angeles with an empty-net goal.
«I think honestly we were trying to make up for lost ground the whole game,» Montreal centre Jake Evans said. «We had some bright moments, but when you’re chasing the game, sometimes your defensive game starts to slip, and that’s what happened.»
It was the second game of a back-to-back stretch for Montreal that began on the coast with a 4-3 win over San Jose. Joel Armia scored a short-handed goal with 4:04 left in regulation for the game-winner.
Montreal, six points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, is 13-10-4 at home this season and has lost its last three home games, being outscored 12-4 in the process.