Game 2: Montreal Canadiens @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In Canada: Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the Penguins region: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+, TVA Sports+
After three consecutive years of not making the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins needed something to change. One of the biggest moves they made last season was bringing in Dan Muse behind the bench, replacing Mike Sullivan after a nine-year coaching tenure. The new coach must have preached the importance of a good start, because the team began with an 8-2-2 record, ranking first in the NHL at the conclusion of the the opening month. They went on to not just make the playoffs, but take the second seed in the Metropolitan Division and earn home-ice advantage in the opening round. That was as far as they went, losing in six games to Philadelphia, but the progress was clear from what the franchise had been experiencing.
A fast start is just as important this season, and their opener also provided an opportunity to get a bit of revenge on the rival that ended their season. The Penguins ended up running the Flyers out of their own building on Wednesday, outshooting Philadelphia 38-19 and heading home with a 7-0 victory.
That is the type of performance the Canadiens run into after what we can call an unnecessary three days off following their season-opener in Toronto. While maybe more of a test than Montreal would like so early in the season, an improving Penguins team — along with several other clubs like the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Washington Capitals — should be a welcome development in the Metropolitan Division. The Carolina Hurricanes coasted to a 15-point division win last year, so more intense competition should soften up the opponent the Canadiens would potentially face in a return to the conference finals.
Tale of the Tape
| Canadiens | Statistics | Penguins |
|---|---|---|
| 1-0-0 | Record | 1-0-0 |
| 43.8% | Expected-goal share | 81.5% |
| 3.00 | Goals per game | 7.00 |
| 2.00 | Goals against per game | 0.00 |
| 0.0% | PP% | 50.0% |
| 100.0% | PK% | 100.0% |
| 2-0-1 | Head-to-Head Record (25-26) | 1-2-0 |
| Anderson/Bolduc/Carrier (1) | Most goals | Nick Robertson (2) |
| Anderson/Carrier/Dach/Matheson (1) | Most assists | Girard/Hållander/Korczak (2) |
| Anderson/Carrier (2) | Most points | Filip Hållander (3) |
The lesson the Canadiens needed to take from their season-opener was to start the game on time. That only needs more repeating given how the Penguins flew out of the gate. Toronto took advantage of its push in the opening minute of Tuesday’s game, and Pittsburgh proved last year that it is an even more dangerous offensive club. The Pens finished with the third-highest goal total in the league, and their first game hints at the 2026-27 season being no different.
Despite that offensive quality, Montreal did hold the Penguins to five goals in the 2025-26 season series. The one blemish on their record was a shootout defeat leading up to the Christmas break. Montreal had its moments of good defensive play last year, enough to finish as an average team in goals against, but part of their development as a team going from rebuilder to now contender is to be among the better defensive clubs.
If the best they can do is slightly limit Pittsburgh’s offence, the Habs have plenty of their own offensive talent. The Canadiens managed to beat the Maple Leafs with no points from any member of the top six or Lane Hutson. We will surely see a few of those players register their names on the scoresheet tonight, and if the depth joins in for a second game in a row, they should be able to cover off what the Penguins can produce.
