The Montreal Canadiens are setting their sights on a third straight win, a feat they are seeking for the fourth time this season. Their next challenge? Taking on the San Jose Sharks on their home turf. The Canadiens’ recent record reveals that their only win during their current streak was a narrow 4-3 triumph against the Sharks on their home turf on Feb. 4. The game saw Joel Armia score the decisive goal late in the third period, while Sam Montembeault demonstrated exceptional skill as the Canadiens’ netminder, turning aside 27 attempts.
Montembeault continued his commendable performance on Tuesday, stopping 20 shots to secure his fourth shutout of this season and the fifth of his career. The 4-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes saw the Canadiens stick to a solid, straightforward game plan. Montembeault’s four shutouts mark the most by a Canadiens goaltender during a season since Carey Price’s similar achievement in the 2019-2020 season.
Captain Nick Suzuki and forward Patrik Laine left a notable mark on the game, with each scoring a goal and two assists, leading Montreal to its second straight win. Patrik Laine expressed confidence in the team’s performance, emphasizing the importance of their back-to-back wins and his personal focus on hard work rather than individual goal scoring.
In the Sharks’ corner, goaltender Vitek Vanecek expressed a similar sentiment, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the game and the team’s joint effort to deliver a commendable performance. William Eklund managed to score the only goal for San Jose, extending his point streak to five games, including two goals and three assists.
The previous matchup between the Sharks and Canadiens saw valuable rookie Macklin Celebrini and ex-Canadien Tyler Toffoli scoring and assisting on one goal each. Toffoli, who currently leads the Sharks in goals with 21, has racked up eight points in his last seven games. Celebrini, who leads the rookies with 18 goals, is just one point behind Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson despite having played 11 fewer games. The upcoming clash promises to be exciting to watch as both teams bring their A-game to the ice.