NOT TO BE MISSED AT THE BELL CENTER
Celebrate the holidays early with the Christmas evening at the Bell Center presented by Canadian Tire! Arrive at 5:30 p.m. to get your hands on one of the 5,000 Santa hats handed out at the gates. Find out if you're on the list of wise guys or little brats by visiting Saint Nicholas at Rio Tinto Court before the match, or find him in section 123 after the initial puck drop! Additionally, this section will feature holiday-themed treats and temporary tattoos.
It's also Molson FANatic Saturdays at the Bell Centre, and for the occasion, fans can begin the pre-game festivities at 4:30 p.m. at Les Trois Monkeys, on Peel Street a few steps from the amphitheater. By participating in the pre-game quiz at Les Trois Monkeys, you could get a chance to participate in the Molson Sniper Shoot and make three shots on the Bell Center ice during intermission to try to win several prizes.
Finally, Monster Energy guest DJ Fafa Khan will get you in the mood during the warm-up. Fans can listen on Twitch for a chance to win a prize.
IT HURTS HIM
Patrik Laine made the difference in the 4-3 victory against the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Friday. While the 26-year-old Finn scored his seventh goal of the season, Jake Evans and Emil Heineman also played a good game. Both men collected a goal and an assist; a great performance, especially since it was the 300e game of Evans' NHL career. The Canadians will have to rely on solid teamwork if they want to continue to acquire this consistency so sought after in their game since the start of the season. Tonight they will try to earn their fifth victory at home in December. This will also be the Club's last game at the Bell Center in 2024.
Even though the Red Wings arrived in town after suffering a setback, they still came back from a one-goal deficit twice in the first 40 minutes of play (1-0 and 2-1), to then take ahead 3-2 at the start of the third period. Focusing on the positive and not letting the negative take over will also be important for Derek Lalonde's troops, they failed to maintain their lead and could have taken advantage of their four power play opportunities to make the difference against the Canadians. Heading into Friday's game, Detroit had won three of their last four games and will look to get back to winning ways quickly, and like the Canadiens, continue to find a way to win consistently.
THE ANNUAL SERIES
20 Dec. @ THAT : 4-3 MTL
21 Dec. c. THAT:
23 Jan @ THAT :
April 8 c. THAT:
TO OBSERVE
Laine has scored four goals in his last two games, including a hat trick. His seven goals – all scored on the power play – in just eight games prove that the veteran has not lost his touch and that he is still a threat on offense thanks to his powerful shot. The last Canadiens player to score as many goals in the same number of games was Pierre Turgeon in 1995. According to Sportsnet statistics, he is also the first player in NHL history to score seven power play goals in eight meeting with a team. He only needs four on the power play to find himself at the top of the NHL in this category ahead of Brayden Point (11). Cole Caufield also lit the lamp on seven occasions with an extra man on the ice, and he is just two goals short of reaching the 100-goal mark in the League.
Patrick Kane is making a comeback in Detroit. His goal against the Canadiens was his fifth of the season, which allowed him to extend his point streak to three games (2G, 2A). He is only two points short of reaching 1,300 points in the NHL and he could become the second American player to do so after Mike Modano, and the fourth active player to reach this peak behind Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin, according to NHL PR.
IN NUMBERS: RED WINGS-CANADIENS
Here are the comparisons of the two clubs:
