Canadiens Pre Game
Canadiens Preview And Lines: Jakub Dobes Starts Versus Dallas
The Montreal Canadiens (21-18-4) are set to face the Dallas Stars (28-14-1), with the puck drop scheduled for 8 pm ET.
The Canadiens are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, a continuation of their strong play since defenceman Alexandre Carrier was acquired in exchange for Justin Barron. He’s not the only driving force behind the uptick in offensive and defensive play, as players such as Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Caufield have found their rhythm of late, and have also enjoyed a great stretch since roughly mid-November.
Of course, there’s a lot of work left to do, but the numbers do suggest the Canadiens are in the midst of taking the next step in their rebuild, which would see them finally avoid the basement of the NHL standings and quite possibly qualify for the playoffs if the stars align.
ON TOPIC: Evaluating The Canadiens’ Recent Surge and Playoff Odds
Rookie Jakub Dobes will receive his fourth start, though considering he has a 3-0 record and a sparkling .959 save percentage. There are no other roster changes expected, which means Michael Pezzetta should feature on the fourth line, taking Emil Heineman’s spot as the 23-year-old forward recovers from a minor accident in which he was struck by a car.
The two teams faced on January 11, therefore they’re quite familiar with each other. Dallas emerged with a 2-1 win in the shootout, and they clearly deserved to win the game, but it must be said that it was one of Montreal’s worst games in the last month. And yet, still managed to secure one point, despite it being the second leg of a back-to-back games that also included travel.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Cole Caufield | Nick Suzuki | Juraj Slafkovsky |
| Alex Newhook | Oliver Kapanen | Ivan Demidov |
| Zachary Bolduc | Owen Beck | Owen Beck |
| Josh Anderson | Jake Evans | Brendan Gallagher |
| Mike Matheson | Noah Dobson |
| Jayden Struble | Lane Hutson |
| Arber Xhekaj | Alex Carrier |
| Samuel Montembeault |
| Jakub Dobes |
Dallas Stars
Robertson – Johnston – Dadonov
Benn – Duchene – Stankoven
Steel – Bourque – Blumel
Hryckowian – Back – Blackwell
Heiskanen – Lyubushkin
Lindell – Lundkvist
Harley – Dumba
Oettinger
How to Watch The Montreal Canadiens vs. The Dallas Stars, Thursday, January 16, 2025.
Game 44 of the regular season will be aired on RDS and TSN2. Once the game is over, an instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Montreal Hockey Now.
