The St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens face off tonight at the Bell Centre, marking their first meeting of the 2025-26 season. Both teams are coming off of victories on Saturday and are playing the second game of a back-to-back.
Blues' Outlook
The St. Louis Blues, currently sitting at 10-12-7, are looking to build on their recent 2-1 win against the Ottawa Senators. However, the Blues have struggled to find consistency this season, especially on offense, ranking 31st in the league with an average of just 2.52 goals per game. Their penalty kill also needs improvement, as they rank 27th in the NHL at 75.8 percent.
Robert Thomas leads the Blues with 17 points. Jake Neighbours, who scored both goals in Saturday's win against Ottawa, will be a player to watch. Jordan Kyrou is day to day with a lower-body injury sustained in Saturday's game.
Projected lineup for the Blues:
- Jake Neighbours — Robert Thomas — Pavel Buchnevich
- Dylan Holloway — Dalibor Dvorsky — Joseph
- Suter — Schenn — Walker
- Kasimaki — Sundqvist — Bjugstad
- Broberg — Parayko
- Kessel — Faulk
- Fowler — Mailloux
- Jordan Binnington
- Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington is expected to start in goal after Joel Hofer made 41 saves against the Senators on Saturday.
Canadiens' Outlook
The Montreal Canadiens enter the game with a 15-9-3 record, fueled by a 2-1 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens have carried momentum from last season and are currently sitting a point out of the top spot in the Atlantic Division. Montreal boasts the league's 4th-ranked power play at 26.4 percent.
Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens with 31 points, while Cole Caufield has contributed 29 points.
Projected lineup for the Canadiens:
- Cole Caufield — Nick Suzuki — Juraj Slafkovsky
- Alexandre Texier — Oliver Kapanen — Ivan Demidov
- Josh Anderson — Jake Evans — Brendan Gallagher
- Jared Davidson — Joe Veleno — Bolduc
- Mike Matheson — Noah Dobson
- Jayden Struble — Lane Hutson
- Arber Xhekaj — Alexandre Carrier
- Samuel Montembeault
- Jakub Dobes
Samuel Montembeault is likely to start in goal after Jakub Dobes made 22 saves in the shootout win against the Maple Leafs.
Keys to the Game
For the Blues, improving their scoring and tightening up defensively will be crucial. They need Robert Thomas and other offensive players to step up and provide more consistent scoring. Staying out of the penalty box and improving their penalty kill will also be essential.
The Canadiens need to continue their strong offensive play and capitalize on their power-play opportunities. Goaltending will also be a key factor, as both Montembeault and Dobes have had inconsistent performances this season.
Given that both teams played on Saturday, fatigue could be a factor. The team that manages its energy better and executes its game plan effectively will likely come out on top.
