LAK@MTL: What you need to know

MONTREAL – Joel Armia makes his return to Montreal as the Canadiens welcome the Los Angeles Kings on Military Appreciation Night at the Bell Centre.

Armia played 406 games in a Habs uniform across seven seasons, including the team’s magical run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

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

GAME FACTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE

STM strike

Due to a strike by STM staff, there will be no metro and bus service between 5:45 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. today, so please plan your commute accordingly. For more information, click here.

Military Appreciation Night

The Montreal Canadiens are proud to honor those who have served or are currently serving our country via a variety of initiatives on Tuesday:

• A special edition of the 50/50 raffle at the Bell Centre will benefit True Patriot Love Foundation. Fans aged 18+ can purchase tickets at lfg5050.com as of 5:00 p.m.;
• Members of Soldier On, a program built to contribute to the recovery of ill and injured CAF members and veterans, will attend tonight's game courtesy of Megafan Ford;
• A ceremonial puck drop featuring two Veterans of the Second World War—Corporal (Ret’d) Anne McNamara and Flying Officer (Ret’d) Howard McNamara;
• Performances of the national anthems with a flag party composed of members from Les Fusiliers Mont Royal;
• Over 60 active members and Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces will attend the game thanks to the generosity of Ford Canada.

TEAM COMPARISONS

The Canadiens kept their strong start rolling with another offensive outburst Saturday night against the Utah Mammoth. More importantly, they protected a third-period lead and sealed the win with authority — something they’ve been looking to do more consistently. Now, they turn their attention to the Los Angeles Kings, a team that’s had their number of late. Montreal hasn’t beaten LA in eight straight meetings and has topped two goals just once during that stretch. But with the League’s fourth-best offensive efficiency fueling their attack, the Canadiens will look to break through and improve to 6-1-1 at home on Tuesday night.

The Kings have been fairly average out of the gates with a 7-5-4 record, but those numbers look far more respectable when you consider how well they’ve played on the road.

For whatever reason, Los Angeles has been a much different team away from Crypto.com Arena — their road performances have outshined their home efforts by a wide margin. One possible explanation? Age. According to The Athletic, as of October 19, the Kings were the NHL’s second-oldest team. And with age often comes experience — the kind that helps veteran groups grind out wins in tough buildings. Leading the way offensively has been Adrian Kempe, who’s thrived with 11 points (5G, 6A) in nine road games this season.

SEASON SERIES

Nov. 11 vs. LAK:

Mar. 7 @ LAK:

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

Lane Hutson will skate in his 100^th NHL game on Tuesday. The Calder winner has been held pointless in each of his last two appearances but look for that to change against the Kings.

On the other side, former Hab Corey Perry will suit up for his 1,403^rd NHL game tonight. In his 20^th season, there are no signs of slowing down just yet. The 40-year-old has posted 11 points in 10 games this year, including four goals and six points in his last five appearances.

BY THE NUMBERS: KINGS-HABS

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

LINEUP NEWS

The Canadiens 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.