Game 28: Montreal Canadiens vs. Nashville Predators
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Predators region: Bally Sports South
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
A night after facing 48 shots from the Buffalo Sabres, the Montreal Canadiens are right back in action, playing the Nashville Predators for the first time this season. Back-to-backs have proven difficult for the Habs in 2023-24, as they’ve currently experienced losses of 5-2, 5-2, 4-0, and 5-1 in the latter-half matches; a third of their regulation losses so far this season.
The good news is that tonight’s opponent is also arriving at the Bell Centre for a second start in 24 hours after being handily outshot by an opponent. Nashville managed 18 shots to Toronto’s 37 in a 4-0 loss at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.
Perhaps the Predators’ first shutout loss of the season is a sign that their hectic schedule is beginning to wear on the team. The last time they had consecutive days off was from November 15 to 17, and tonight will be their 13th game in 23 days. Following tonight’s game and another one on Monday, they’ll finally see two days without a hockey game … before another back-to-back.
| Canadiens | Statistics | Predators |
|---|---|---|
| 12-12-3 | Record | 14-13-0 |
| 46.0% (29th) | Scoring-chances-for % | 49.6% (20th) |
| 2.69 (27th) | Goals per game | 3.11 (17th) |
| 3.50 (29th) | Goals against per game | 3.15 (14th) |
| 17.2% (24th) | PP% | 20.6% (16th) |
| 72.6% (30th) | PK% | 75.3% (26th) |
| 1-1-0 | Head-to-Head Record | 1-1-0 |
You won’t hear them complaining too loudly about that workload because it has led to some inspired play. They’ve lost just three of the 12 games played so far in this stretch, turning around a 5-10 start into a 14-13 record, good enough to hold a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. No team has more points in this period of play that began on November 18,
In that time, only five clubs are scoring more goals per game. The Predators leapt from 2.93 goals per contest in their opening 15 matches to 3.33 in the previous 12, and that has also been paired with improved defensive numbers. It’s a completely different club from the one that began the season.
Filip Forsberg is the main reason for the resurgence. Forced out of the lineup after just 50 games a season ago, he’s right back on pace to match the career highs of 42 goals and 42 assists he set in 2021-22. He’s averaging a career-high 19:13 per game under new head coach Andrew Brunette. Forsberg was held pointless in Toronto a night ago, but has a tendency to accumulate his points in bunches, with nine multi-point games so far.
You have to believe a batch of points is also due to come the way of the Canadiens’ top-line trio of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovský. Each of the three put a puck in the net last night in Buffalo — one on the power play for Suzuki, and the other two converting their shootout attempts. The three combined for 23 attempts at goal in the 65 minutes of play, 14 or which made it through to Devon Levi, and 16 of those attempts were from the high-danger area a few feet from the net. The trio is only getting better with each game played thanks to the steadily improving game of Slafkovský, and his more veteran linemates are beginning to learn his tendencies.
At this point, there’s little doubt that those forwards are going to be noticeable in the right ways on offence. The questions are on defence. The Canadiens got lucky that Cayden Primeau was able to bail out some bewildering defensive miscues in last night’s game, either poor reads or just missed passes made under little pressure. The fatigue of a back-to-back is going to cause more of those errors tonight, and Forsberg isn’t going to let them off lightly when they occur.
