The Montreal Canadiens wrap up their Western Canada tour this Saturday in Vancouver, but they’re not arriving in tourist mode. After what many are calling a “robbery” in Edmonton, the Habs land at Rogers Arena hungry for revenge and with their sights set on the Canucks, who are struggling with back-to-back losses and a crisis in the faceoff circle.
Coach Martin St-Louis didn’t hold back: he called the game against the Oilers “the team’s most complete performance of the season,” hinting that the result was unjust.
Now, riding that emotional momentum, Montreal aims to close out the road trip with two points that could set the tone for their campaign before heading south of the border.
The Canucks, meanwhile, are not in top form. With a 4-4-0 record and glaring issues in faceoffs — ranking dead last in the league — Vancouver faces a Canadiens squad that averages more goals per game (3.56 vs. 2.63) and features a red-hot Nick Suzuki, who’s riding an eight-game point streak, the longest active run in the NHL.
This matchup also marks the first encounter of the season between Montreal and Vancouver’s new additions, including Evander Kane and Pierre-Olivier Joseph, both looking to shift the narrative for a team that missed the playoffs last year.
Statistically, the Canadiens dominate nearly every category — power play, goals per game, point differential — and with the sting of a controversial loss still fresh, Saturday’s game promises tension, speed, and possibly a statement performance from Montreal.
The puck drops Saturday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m. at Rogers Arena. The ice is ready, but the fire comes straight from Edmonton.