WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE
Meet Montreal Victoire players
Celebrate the start of the new PWHL season with players from the Montreal Victoire. Members of the Victoire roster will meet fans in sections 113 and 117 during both intermissions, ahead of Sunday’s season opener in Boston!
The Victoire home opener is set for Tuesday, Nov. 25 at Place Bell. The team also announced the return of its annual “Duel at the Top” game at the Bell Centre, on Dec. 27.
Congratulations Carabins
The University de Montréal Carabins women’s soccer team will be honored on the scoreboard during the game, following a third national championship this month.
TEAM COMPARISONS
Montreal didn’t get the result they wanted on Monday, but their night in Columbus still felt like a step forward. Stuck in a tough stretch and searching for the confidence they had earlier in the season, the Habs battled back from a 3–1 deficit to steal a point from the Blue Jackets — a small but meaningful sign of life. With the Capitals in town tonight, a team they know all too well from last year’s playoffs, the Canadiens will try to build on that momentum and feed off a loud Bell Centre crowd as they look to steady themselves in what’s been a sticky November.
After capturing the Presidents’ Trophy in 2024-25, the road has been far less straightforward for an aging Capitals squad this year. Sitting at 10-8-2, they’ve struggled to find any real rhythm, managing a winning streak of three or more games just once. A big culprit? Special teams. Spencer Carbery’s group ranks 30th on the power play and, despite Logan Thompson’s magic, 27th on the penalty kill. Speaking of Thompson, he got the start on Wednesday, which likely means Charlie Lindgren will take the crease in Montreal on the second half of the back-to-back — a scenario in which Washington is 1-2-0 this season.
SEASON SERIES
Nov. 20 vs. WSH:
Jan. 13 @ WSH:
Feb. 28 vs. WSH:
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR
Lane Hutson rediscovered his stride in Columbus, turning in one of his most complete performances of the season. Just like so many nights during his rookie campaign, he was Montreal’s best player, proving once again that when his engine’s humming like it was on Monday, he’s nearly impossible to contain. The Canadiens will be hoping that same gear carries into tonight.
It’s also not every day you get to watch the greatest goalscorer of all time in person. And at 40 years old, playing out the final year of his deal, Thursday could realistically be one of Alex Ovechkin’s last visits to the Bell Centre. While the Habs will surely try to keep him quiet, you can’t help but tip your cap to one of the best to ever lace them up.
BY THE NUMBERS: CAPS-HABS
Here’s how the Capitals and Canadiens match up by the numbers:
