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0:54Slafkovsky and Power Play Lift Canadiens To OT Win Over Lightning
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1:05Canadiens' Slafkovsky completes HAT TRICK with OT winner in Game 1
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1:34First Round Game 1 Highlights: Canadiens at Lightning
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1:58NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Preview: Canadiens at Lightning
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12:59Pierre McGuire's 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Bracket
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1:00Stanley Cup Odds for Canada's Playoff Teams
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1:05Sabres, Canadiens, Lightning All Have Chance At Atlantic Division
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1:14Best Stanley Cup Title Bet
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1:19Best Eastern Conference Future Bet
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1:00Sabres Look Like Hottest Team Heading Into Playoffs
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0:36Highlights: Canadiens at Lightning (3/31)
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0:39Mystery team to watch at NHL trade deadline
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0:25Highlights: Canadiens at Rangers (12/13)
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0:25Highlights: Lightning at Canadiens (12/9)
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1:08First Round Game 1 Highlights: Ducks at Oilers
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0:59First Round Game 2 Highlights: Wild at Stars
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1:54First Round Game 2 Highlights: Senators at Hurricanes
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1:15First Round Game 2 Highlights: Flyers at Penguins
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2:05Lean, Like, Love: Senators to beat Hurricanes
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1:57Lean, Like, Love: Kings to beat Avalanche
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Top Canadiens News
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Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier: Nabs assist in return
Carrier logged an assist, three hits and two blocked shots in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over the Lightning in Game 1.
Carrier missed nine games to close out the regular season, but he's ready to roll in the playoffs. He'll get a top-four role right out of the gate this postseason, but expect the defenseman's minutes to decline once Noah Dobson (upper body) returns. Carrier had 22 points over 73 regular-season outings, and in prior playoff runs, he's collected 10 points over 21 appearances.
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Canadiens' Nick Suzuki: Two power-play helpers in Game 1
Suzuki picked up two power-play assists Sunday in a 4-3 overtime victory over Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Suzuki struggled to find space and time 5-on-5 under the oppressive weight of Anthony Cirelli's shutdown checking, even if the former dominated him at the dot (15-for-21; 71.4 percent). But Suzuki found a way to deliver on the power play. He's considered the frontrunner for the 2026 Selke Trophy, so he'll be matched against the Bolts' top line -- like Cirelli was attached to him -- when the Habs get the last change at home in Games 3 and 4.
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Canadiens' Cole Caufield: Two assists in Game 1 overtime win
Caufield delivered two power-play assists in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Caufield had two shots, two hits and one block, and he spent most of the 5-on-5 play under the wet blanket of Anthony Cirelli's line. Expect the Bolts to continue to try to smother Caufield and his linemates, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, but the NHL's second-best regular-season sniper (51 goals) will likely find a way to tickle the twine soon enough.
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Canadiens' Josh Anderson: Goal and controversial hit in win
Anderson had one goal, four hits and four PIM in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over the Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Anderson also appeared to have a second goal at the mid-point of the second period, but it was overturned after video review determined he hit the puck above the crossbar. He had just 23 points (14 goals) in 72 regular-season games this season, including only two goals and an assist in his last 21 games, but Anderson is built for playoff hockey. He will have a bullseye on his back for a massive hit on Charle-Edouard D'Astous (undisclosed), who was helped off the ice and didn't return.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Aggressive in Game 1 win
Dobes made 20 saves in a 4-3 overtime win over the Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Saturday.
Dobes was confident and aggressive all night, and he definitely outplayed superstar opponent, Andrei Vasilevskiy. It was Dobes' second career NHL playoff win, and two of the three goals against him came on Lightning power plays. He had to be sharp Saturday, especially with Montreal struggling 5-on-5. This is Dobes' net, and he will need to be sharp Tuesday when the Bolts try to avenge their Game 1 loss.
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Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: Noteworthy hat trick
Slafkovsky scored three power-play goals, including the overtime winner, in a 4-3 win over the Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Slafkovsky is the third player in Canadiens postseason history to score a hat trick that included the overtime winner. The others? Eric Desjardins in 1993 and Gerry Plamondon all the way back in 1949. The Habs have been in existence for 117 seasons, including 109 in the NHL. Slafkovsky was utterly dominant -- he had seven of the Habs' 20 shots on the night and was composed no matter what was happening on the ice. He has taken his game to a whole new level this season. Slafkovsky delivered his first 30-goal regular season, set a career mark in points (73) and finished fourth overall in scoring at the 2026 Winter Olympics for Team Slovakia. This could be the ascendence of another superstar.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Game 1 starter
Dobes will get the start in net Sunday for Game 1 against the Lightning, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Dobes will get the nod for the postseason opener over 21-year-old rookie Jacob Fowler and veteran Sam Montembeault. The 24-year-old Dobes finished the regular season with a 29-10-4 record, a 2.78 GAA and a .901 save percentage while leading Montreal's netminders with 43 games played. He enters the postseason in a bit of a slump, having allowed at least three goals in four of his last five starts. Dobes will have his hands full with the Lightning, who ranked fourth in the NHL at 3.49 goals per game in the regular season.
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Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier: Ready to rock
Carrier (upper body) will play against Tampa Bay on Sunday in Game 1, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Following a nine-game absence to close out the regular season, Carrier will return to a top-pairing role in Sunday's lineup against the Lightning. He generated seven goals, 22 points, 56 shots on net and 155 blocked shots across 73 appearances during the 2025-26 regular season.
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Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier: Returns to practice Friday
Carrier (upper body) participated in Friday's practice session on the second defensive pairing, Marc Antoine Godin of Radio-Canada reports.
Carrier has been sidelined since late March due to his upper-body injury, and he was initially expected to miss 2-4 weeks. He's reached the short range of that threshold, and his participation in Friday's practice signals that he could return to action for the start of postseason play. However, the Canadiens haven't yet revealed his status for Sunday's Game 1 against the Lightning.
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Canadiens' Mike Matheson: Set for postseason
Matheson (rest) was back at practice Thursday after missing the final regular-season game Tuesday, per Eric Engels of Sportsnet.
Matheson had seven goals, 30 assists, 59 hits and 150 blocked shots in 78 regular-season games in 2025-26. He should see plenty of playing time in the playoffs, as a first-unit defenseman. He averaged 24:10 of ice time this season, the most among Montreal rearguards.
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Canadiens' Josh Anderson: Ready for playoffs
Anderson (rest) practiced Thursday and is on track to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs this weekend, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Anderson sat out the final game of the regular season Tuesday. He finished the season with 14 goals, nine assist, 129 hits and 43 blocked shots over 72 games. He practiced on the fourth line, alongside Phillip Danault and Jake Evans, his likely role in the postseason.
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Canadiens' Phillip Danault: Practicing Thursday
Danault (rest) was on the ice for Thursday's practice session, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
After sitting out the regular-season finale, Danault was back in his usual fourth-line role ahead of the Habs' first-round series versus the Lightning. It's been an underwhelming 2025-26 campaign for the 33-year-old winger, as he managed just 12 points in 45 games for Montreal, giving him a combined 17 points this year. That's well off the 40-plus points he registered in each of the prior four campaigns.
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Canadiens' Vinzenz Rohrer: Joining Rocket
Rohrer was reassigned to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Rohrer will link up with the Rocket after posting four goals and eight assists in 41 regular-season games for the ZSC Lions of Switzerland's National League in 2025-26. The 21-year-old forward added one goal in nine postseason contests. Looking ahead to 2026-27, Rohrer could spend the bulk of the year in the minors.
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Canadiens' Joe Veleno: Hands out assist in loss
Veleno notched an assist and five hits in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Flyers.
Veleno has been in and out of the lineup frequently this season. His helper ended a 21-game point drought dating back to his assist in a Jan. 8 game versus the Panthers. He ends the regular season with five points, 52 shots on net, 166 hits, 32 blocked shots and a minus-12 rating over 61 appearances. Veleno will likely continue to be a part-time option in the postseason.
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Canadiens' Alexandre Texier: Contributes assist in loss
Texier logged an assist and two PIM in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Flyers.
Texier picked up his first point in five games after missing seven contests due to a lower-body injury. His point drought was at 10 games. The 26-year-old has often filled a middle-six role this season, but it'll be interesting to see if he can stick in the lineup in the playoffs. With the Blues last year, he played in just three of seven postseason games. Texier has 21 points, 74 shots on net, 65 hits, 26 PIM and a plus-9 rating over 51 regular-season outings this season.
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Team Statistical Rankings
| GF AVG | GA AVG | Power Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team |
3.34 (7th) |
3.01 (16th) |
23.1 (10th) |
Injuries
| Player | Injury |
|---|---|
| N. Dobson D Noah Dobson D | Upper Body |