The Montreal Canadiens are setting their sights on a third consecutive victory, a feat they’re targeting for the fourth time this season. Their upcoming challenge? Facing off against the San Jose Sharks on home turf. The Canadiens’ recent record reveals their solitary win during their ongoing streak was a narrow 4-3 triumph against the Sharks on their ground on February 4th. The match saw Joel Armia score the decisive goal in the final stretch of the third period, with Sam Montembeault demonstrating exceptional skill as the custodian of the Canadiens’ net, deflecting 27 attempts.
Montembeault continued his commendable performance on Tuesday, fending off 20 shots to secure his fourth shutout this season and the fifth of his career. The 4-0 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes saw the Canadiens retain a solid, uncomplicated game strategy. Montembeault’s four shutouts mark the highest number achieved by a Canadiens goaltender during a season since Carey Price’s similar accomplishment in the 2019-2020 season.
Captain Nick Suzuki and forward Patrik Laine left a notable mark on the game, with each pocketing a goal and two assists, steering Montreal to its second consecutive win. Patrik Laine expressed confidence in the team’s performance, emphasizing the significance of their back-to-back wins and his personal focus on hard work over individual goal scoring.
In the Sharks’ corner, goaltender Vitek Vanecek echoed a similar sentiment, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the game and the team’s joint effort in delivering a commendable performance. William Eklund managed to notch the sole goal for San Jose, extending his point streak to five games, inclusive of two goals and three assists.
The previous face-off between the Sharks and the Canadiens saw Macklin Celebrini, the prized rookie, and ex-Canadien Tyler Toffoli each scoring and assisting a goal. Toffoli, currently leading the Sharks in goals with 21, has bagged eight points in his last seven games. Celebrini, who is leading the rookie pack with 18 goals, is only a point behind Canadiens’ defenseman Lane Hutson, despite playing 11 fewer games. The upcoming clash promises to be an exciting watch as both teams bring their best game to the ice.
