CAR@MTL: What you need to know

MONTREAL – The Canadiens open a two-game homestand on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre.

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

GAME FACTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE

With UFC 315 coming to the Bell Centre on May 10 — over a decade since the last Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Montreal — fans at the game can take a photo with the UFC Legacy Championship Belt in section 117 between 5:45 and 6:45 p.m.

In addition, dog trainer Alexandra Cote will entertain fans with an on-ice performance featuring her pups Tesla and Louka during the second intermission, presented by the Canine Hockey Club — the official dog club of the Montreal Canadiens. The trio wowed the crowd their last time in the building.

TEAM COMPARISONS

Montreal

• Standings: 7th in the Atlantic Division (57 pts), five points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference
• Home record: 13-12-4
• Last 10 games: 2-7-1
• Streak: W1
• Injuries: Kirby Dach (lower body), Kaiden Guhle (lacerated quadricep muscle), Michael Pezzetta (lower body)
• Call ups: Owen Beck (Monday)
• Starting goalie vs. CAR: Samuel Montembeault

Carolina

• Standings: 2nd in the Metropolitan Division (70 pts)
• Road record: 12-14-3
• Last 10 games: 5-4-1
• Streak: L1
• Injuries: William Carrier (lower body), Jesper Fast (neck)

SEASON SERIES

Feb. 25 vs. CAR

Mar. 28 @ CAR

Apr. 16 vs. CAR

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

MTL: Cole Caufield scored his 27th goal of the season on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators. On top of being one goal shy from matching his career best (28G in 2023-24), he’s also one point away from collecting 200. In 262 regular season games, the 24-year-old winger has registered 108 goals and 91 assists.

CAR: Andrei Svechnikov is riding a three-game point streak (1G, 4A) heading into tonight’s contest. The Hurricanes' seven-year veteran is fourth in scoring behind Mikko Rantanen (67), Sebastian Aho (56), and Seth Jarvis (45).

BY THE NUMBERS: CANES-HABS

Here’s how the Hurricanes and Canadiens match up by the numbers:

LINEUP NEWS

On Monday, head coach Martin St-Louis confirmed that Kirby Dach (lower-body injury) will not be in the lineup against the Hurricanes, while Samuel Montembeault will defend the cage for Montreal. The Habs are scheduled for a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Subscribe to or follow the team on YouTube, Facebook and X (@CanadiensMTL) to catch St-Louis' press conference and player media availabilities around 11:00 a.m., and keep an eye on the Canadiens social accounts for any potential lineup news. For the full official lineup, check back on the team’s social accounts closer to puck drop.

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