BUF@MTL: What you need to know

MONTREAL – After a three-day gap between games, the Canadiens wrap up their season series with the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night.

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

1. The Habs last played on Saturday night, a game they lost 4-3 to the visiting Washington Capitals in Montreal. Arber Xhekaj, Alex Newhook, and Nick Suzuki lit the lamp for the home side, but the Capitals’ Aliaksei Protas scored the go-ahead goal with just over eight minutes to go and the Canadiens couldn’t net the equalizer before time ran out. Jake Allen made 30 saves.

2. The loss was Montreal’s second in a row, but some other streaks to continue in that game might be more exciting for Habs fans. With his team-leading 20th goal of the season on Saturday, Suzuki extended his point streak to 10 games. The captain has a whopping 16 points (8G, 8A) on his current run, which began on January 20 in Boston. Juraj Slafkovsky earned an assist on Suzuki’s third-period marker, which helped extend his own point streak to eight games. The 2022 first-overall pick has six goals and as many helpers in those games, and he broke his own record for a point streak by a Canadiens teenager when he prolonged the string to eight contests.

3. After a day off on Monday, the Habs were back on the ice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard on Tuesday. All players but one took part in the skate, with forward Cole Caufield taking another therapy day. Jordan Harris was back on the ice in a regular jersey, but head coach Martin St-Louis said he wasn’t sure if the American blue-liner would be available to him on Wednesday night. The Habs bench boss also told reporters he hadn’t made up his mind on a starting goaltender, so we’ll have to wait until morning skate to learn of any lineup changes.

4. At the other end of the ice, the Sabres are winners of just two of their last six games. They last played on Monday night at home, losing 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks. Montreal and Buffalo are tied in the standings with 52 points each. The Habs have the 2-1 edge heading into the final matchup of the season series, with one of those wins coming in a shootout.

5. Wednesday is Black History Night at the Bell Centre, and the organization will be paying tribute to the rich heritage and accomplishments of Black communities in Quebec, both on and off the ice. For more info, click here.

Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. You can catch all the action on Sportsnet or RDS on television, or on TSN 690 or 98,5 fm on the radio. For tickets to the game, click here.