The Montreal Canadiens will face the Chicago Blackhawks at the Bell Centre on Thursday, aiming to complete a sweep of their season series after an earlier victory. Montreal seeks to rebound from a recent home loss, while Chicago grapples with injuries and a losing streak. Key players on both sides could influence the outcome of this matchup.
The Canadiens enter the game following a 4-1 defeat to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, which adjusted their home record to 8-9-1. Under coach Martin St-Louis, the team hopes to recapture early-season momentum at the Bell Centre during their final homestand of 2025, concluding Saturday against Pittsburgh. Montreal previously defeated Chicago 3-2 on October 11 in the season opener for their series.
Chicago arrives in Montreal on a three-game skid, including a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena. The Blackhawks will conclude their three-game road trip in Ottawa afterward. Compounding their challenges, star forward Connor Bedard remains sidelined with an upper-body injury.
For Montreal, forward Alexandre Texier has adapted well since joining the Canadiens. The 26-year-old Frenchman, who recorded a point in eight games with St. Louis earlier this season, has since added three goals and three assists in 11 appearances with his new team.
On the Chicago side, Tyler Bertuzzi stands out as the team's second-leading scorer with 26 points—16 goals and 10 assists—in 30 games. The 30-year-old from Sudbury, Ontario, signed with the Blackhawks as a free agent in 2024 and has amassed 72 points in 112 games overall.
Montreal holds a morning skate scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday, with lineup updates expected via team social channels closer to puck drop. This contest highlights contrasting team forms as both squads navigate mid-season hurdles.