WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE
Each year, the last game of the season is celebrated as Fan Appreciation Night. The evening is dedicated to YOU, as it’s the chance for the Canadiens to say thank you to their fans for their unwavering support once again this year. Here’s what to expect at the Bell Centre tonight:
- Peel-and-win cards will be distributed to all fans upon entry. Every card is a winner, from discount codes to use online to prizes to pick up at service kiosks;
- The first 20 fans to sign up at the Fan Club kiosk in section 117 will get a chance to take a 360 photo on the ice postgame;
- Fans who created avatars on canadiens.com while the contest was open could see their digital likenesses projected on the ice;
- Fans who pay with an Interac Debit card at the Tricolore Sports store in section 113 will get a chance to spin the Lucky Wheel to win a mystery prize;
- Lucky seat numbers will be announced on the scoreboard throughout the game—included among the prizing are spots in the now-famous Jerseys Off Our Backs ceremony.
PLAYOFF CLINCHING SCENARIOS
The Canadiens can clinch a playoff spot with one point on Wednesday.
TEAM COMPARISONS
Theoretically, Wednesday’s game is not do-or-die for Montreal—but the team and fans are certainly approaching it that way. Forget the numbers. Forget the stats, standings and the scenarios. One game. One opportunity. And the Canadiens are looking to seize their biggest moment since the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals with a win on home ice.
The Canes arrive in Montreal with none of that pressure. In fact, as TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports, Carolina doesn’t even plan on dressing their full lineup. The newly signed Alexander Nikishin (Ivan Demidov’s teammate in Russia) won’t be available, and the Hurricanes recalled four players from the American Hockey League on Tuesday, suggesting a clear intent to rest some regulars.
But regardless of who’s in the lineup on the other side, the Canadiens’ focus remains on what they can control: securing that last coveted playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
SEASON SERIES
Feb. 25 vs. CAR: 4-0 MTL
Mar. 28 @ CAR: 4-1 CAR
Apr. 16 vs. CAR:
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR
There are a few Habs on milestone watch at the Bell Centre on Wednesday:
- Nick Suzuki needs three points to reach the 90-point plateau for the first time in his career.
- Lane Hutson requires two assists to set an NHL record for the most assists by a rookie defenseman in a season.
- Juraj Slafkovsky needs one point to eclipse his career high of 50 points.
- Cole Caufield is three goals away from hitting the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career.
The Hurricanes recalled Skyler Brind’Amour, son of head coach Rob Brind’Amour, on Tuesday, so expect the 25-year-old to make his NHL debut against the Habs.
BY THE NUMBERS: CANES-HABS
Here’s how the Hurricanes and Canadiens match up by the numbers:
