ARI@MTL: What you need to know

MONTREAL – The Canadiens are looking to put a halt to a five-game losing streak as they welcome the Arizona Coyotes to the Bell Centre on Tuesday.

Here’s what you need to know heading into the game:

1. The Habs returned home empty-handed from a two-game road trip on Saturday, closing it out with a 4-3 afternoon loss to the New Jersey Devils. Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki each scored in the second period, but the Devils matched the Habs goal for goal in the frame and added a pair in the third to put the game out of reach, although Suzuki added a second marker with just under two minutes to go to bring Montreal within one. Jake Allen made 20 saves in the loss.

2. With his two-goal night, the captain snapped a two-game pointless streak which followed his impressive 10 straight games with at least a point. According to TSN’s @StatsCentre, it was the 68th career multipoint outing for Suzuki (regular season and playoffs), which ranks him sixth all-time in franchise history for players under the age of 25. Suzuki is hovering just under a point-per-game clip with 55 (22G, 33A) in 58 games while winning 53.8% of his faceoffs. The London, ON native also ranks second on the team with an average of 21:15 of ice time per game, tops among Canadiens forwards.

3. After the Canadiens Skills Competition on Sunday, the Habs got back to work at practice at the CN Sports Complex the following day. Center Jake Evans was the only absentee from the skate, taking a therapy day, while defenseman Jayden Struble – who had been ruled out of the contest in New Jersey with a lower-body injury – was on the ice with his teammates. Following the practice, head coach Martin St-Louis said he didn’t know if either player would be cleared for game action, so we’ll have to wait until morning skate for any news. St-Louis did, however, confirm that goaltender Samuel Montembeault would get the start.

4. For their part, the Coyotes are mired in a 12-game losing streak in which they’ve only picked up two points in the standings. One of those points came on Sunday night in Winnipeg, where they lost 4-3 to the Jets in overtime. Nick Schmaltz had a two-goal night of his own, while Matias Maccelli also tallied for Arizona. Connor Ingram turned aside 28 of the 32 shots he faced.

The Coyotes are near the bottom of the Central Division standings with 51 points (23-29-5). This is the second and final meeting between the two teams this season; Arizona took the first one 3-2 at home back in November.

5. Tuesday is Samuel Montembeault Bobblehead Night presented by RONA, and the first 8,000 fans to arrive will get their hands on a Monty figurine. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET, and you can tune in on TSN2 or RDS on television, or on TSN 690 or 98,5 fm on the radio. For tickets to the game, click here.