Tag: MONTREAL CANADIENS

Devils rally late, defeat Canadiens 4-3 in OT to stay perfect at home | IHM News

Devils rally late, defeat Canadiens 4-3 in OT to stay perfect at home | IHM News

Date: November 7, 2025 | Author: IHM News

Devils stun Canadiens late, stay perfect at home with 4-3 OT win

Devils rally late, defeat Canadiens 4-3 in OT to stay perfect at home | IHM News

Bratt wins it on a breakaway in OT, Meier ties it with 1:07 left, New Jersey becomes first team to reach 10 wins

NEWARK, N.J. – The New Jersey Devils proved again why they’re one of the toughest teams in the league to close out. Down 3-2 late in the third, they surged back behind Timo Meier’s clutch equalizer with just 1:07 remaining, then sealed a dramatic 4-3 OT victory over the Montreal Canadiens when Jesper Bratt scored on a breakaway at 1:33 of overtime.

New Jersey moved to 10-4-0, becoming the first team in the NHL to hit 10 wins this season. They also remain perfect at home (6-0-0). Bratt finished with one goal and one assist, and Jack Hughes added two assists. Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves.

“Coming in with speed, trying to read the goalie – that’s my comfort zone,” Bratt said.

Montreal pushes back but falters late
Rookie goalie Jakub Dobes made 24 saves but was emotional postgame, blaming himself for the loss. Noah Dobson defended him, calling him a competitor with high battle level. Montreal goals came from Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, and Oliver Kapanen.

Key moments
– 1:53: Cody Glass opened scoring for New Jersey with a far-side wrister. – 2:59: Montreal tied it 1-1 on a deflection off Dach. – 8:05: Ondrej Palat scored his first of the season on a setup by Simon Nemec. – Early 3rd: Evans and Kapanen scored to make it 3-2 Montreal. – 18:53: Meier tied it from a crease scramble. – OT: Bratt scored the winner on a breakaway.

Coach Mark comment
New Jersey’s resilience is tactical, not lucky. Their recovery shifts were disciplined, their neutral-zone spacing tightened throughout the game, and their puck pressure late in the third overwhelmed Montreal’s exits. Bratt’s OT goal came from layered speed and perfect read on the goalie. This is a team that understands momentum and seizes it.

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Flyers outlast Canadiens 5-4 in shootout after blowing 3-0 start | IceHockeyMan

Flyers outlast Canadiens 5-4 in shootout after blowing 3-0 start | IHM News

By IHM Team | IHM News | November 5, 2025

Flyers survive Montreal rally and win 5-4 in shootout

Brink scores twice, Zegras decides the tiebreaker, Suzuki point streak reaches 12

MONTREAL Philadelphia rode a blistering start, absorbed a furious response, and still left Bell Centre with two points. The Flyers built a 3-0 cushion on their first six shots, saw the Canadiens answer with four consecutive goals in a wild second period, and ultimately prevailed 5-4 in a shootout.

Bobby Brink provided two goals including a net-front redirection and a rebound put-back, Cam York added a 5-on-3 strike, and playmakers Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny each registered two assists. In the skills contest, Zegras delivered the only conversion to seal it. Dan Vladar made 16 saves for Philadelphia, steady in the third and in overtime after the game tilted.

Montreal clawed back behind Kirby Dach’s brace and a power-play surge driven by Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov. Suzuki’s second-period one-timer extended the longest point streak in the league this season to 12 games with 19 points over that span. Rookie winger Nikita Grebenkin added a composed third-period finish from the high slot for his first NHL goal, tying the game 4-4 at 10:51.

The opening frame belonged to the Flyers. At 1:56, Brink angled a Travis Sanheim point shot with his backhand for 1-0. On a two-man advantage at 7:07, York hammered Zegras’s backhand feed from the right circle. Just 43 seconds later, Brink jumped on a rebound for 3-0 and Philadelphia’s second straight power-play goal.

Montreal responded immediately in the second. Dach cut the deficit to 3-1 at 3:12 by slamming a lively carom off the end boards. Suzuki made it 3-2 at 4:15 with a clean one-timer into an open side after a cross-ice pass from Demidov. The building surged, and the Canadiens kept pressing. Dach knotted it 3-3 at 13:28 on a quick feed from Lane Hutson below the goal line. At 15:57, Demidov gave Montreal a 4-3 lead with a high-glove wrist shot from the right dot on the power play.

Philadelphia steadied in the third, tightened the neutral-zone gaps, and forced overtime where Zegras’s creativity mattered most. His lone tally in the tiebreaker, paired with Vladar’s stops, delivered the extra point.

Scoring summary

  • 1st, 1:56 PHI – Brink, backhand deflection of Sanheim shot, 1-0
  • 1st, 7:07 PHI 5-on-3 – York, one-timer from right circle (Zegras), 2-0
  • 1st, 7:50 PHI PP - Brink, rebound at the crease, 3-0
  • 2nd, 3:12 MTL – Dach, rebound from low right circle, 3-1
  • 2nd, 4:15 MTL PP – Suzuki, one-timer from left side (Demidov), 3-2
  • 2nd, 13:28 MTL – Dach, feed from Hutson below the line, 3-3
  • 2nd, 15:57 MTL PP – Demidov, wrist shot high glove from right dot, 4-3
  • SO PHI – Zegras, winner

Goaltenders

PHI: Vladar 16 saves on 20. MTL: Montembeault 38 saves on 42, resilient after early barrage.

Team notes

  • Zegras and Konecny drive pace with east-west touches and inside-lane entries.
  • Suzuki extends franchise best since Pierre Turgeon’s 13-game run in April 1995.
  • Grebenkin records first NHL goal in his 16th career game.

Coach Mark comment
Philadelphia responded to momentum loss with smarter puck management and shorter shifts. Montreal’s second-period push was elite with Hutson activating below the goal line and Suzuki commanding the weak side. The difference came from special teams execution and one extra play in the shootout.

IHM Rumors Insider: Top NHL Rumours of the Week
Oliver Kapanen is earning trust, minutes, and delivering results - 4 goals, 3 assists, and hard defensive work that coaches love.

Oliver Kapanen is Emerging as a Key Two Way Piece for Montreal | IHM News

IHM News Desk | November 01, 2025

Oliver Kapanen is Emerging as a Key Piece for Montreal

Oliver Kapanen is earning trust, minutes, and delivering results - 4 goals, 3 assists, and hard defensive work that coaches love.

Oliver Kapanen’s arrival in the NHL has not been loud or flashy, but it has been effective, disciplined and very Montreal. The 22 year old centre opened the season fighting for minutes and has quickly carved out a defined role in the Canadiens bottom six, delivering mature, structured hockey far beyond his age.

Kapanen’s foundation was built in Finland, where discipline and two way awareness is the core of development. Add in time in Sweden, strong NHL bloodlines and a calm decision making presence, and Montreal suddenly has a centre who looks tailor made for Martin St. Louis modern system.

A Patient Climb Built the Right Way

Kapanen’s journey was not instant. He bounced between Europe, Laval and Montreal last season, earning his ice time and learning the North American pace. Instead of trying to force offense, he built trust by winning small battles, supporting the puck and staying reliable without it.

Now, that patience is paying dividends. Through seven games he has already produced four goals and three assists, complimenting that with strong penalty killing work and physical engagement. His scoring has not come from highlight plays, but from reading situations early and getting to the right pockets of ice.

A Third Line Centre Growing Fast

The Canadiens continue to construct a competitive identity and Kapanen fits it perfectly: calm, efficient, responsible. His decision making under pressure has impressed the coaching staff, and his ability to quietly tilt shifts in Montreal’s favour is becoming noticeable.

Against Nashville, he delivered a composed late equalizer. Against Buffalo, he opened the scoring. And versus Edmonton he distributed well, picking up two assists. For a player many expected to simply compete for depth minutes, he is performing like a long term middle six solution.

A Feel Good Development Story in Montreal

Kapanen is not here to place himself on highlight reels. He is here to play winning hockey. Montreal fans have seen many prospects arrive with hype and fade. Kapanen has arrived with calm, substance and steadily rising influence.

He is proving that not every breakout needs hype. Some players grow shift by shift, building trust and then adding production. That is Kapanen – and his blend of Finnish detail and quiet confidence is turning into something real.

IHM Team Verdict

The Canadiens are not complete yet, but pieces like Kapanen accelerate the build. If he continues at this pace, he becomes a long term stabilizing centre with penalty kill value, secondary scoring threat and playoff style habits.

He might never be a superstar, and that is perfectly fine. Montreal needs players who do the right things consistently – and Kapanen looks like that player.

For Canadiens fans: enjoy this one. A quietly emerging two way centre with real hockey intelligence does not come along often.

Coach Mark Reaction

“I like the kid’s habits. Nothing forced, nothing rushed. He supports plays the right way, makes smart reads off the puck and understands spacing. That is coaching gold. If he keeps maturing like this, Montreal has a very reliable piece down the middle for years.”

Devils sign Jacob Markstrom to 2-year, $12M contract | IHM News
NHL Season Preview by Mark Lehtonen

NHL 2025-26: Season Preview

By Mark Lehtonen · 7 October 2025

The puck drops on 7 October as the NHL returns for another thrilling season. With 32 teams lining up, it’s time to take a closer look at who might surprise, who could disappoint, and which storylines are set to define the year ahead.

Washington Capitals: Ovechkin’s new target

Alex Ovechkin keeps rewriting the book. After 44 goals last term despite a broken leg and 17 games missed, the focus now is a tidy milestone: 40 goals at 40 years old, taking him to 937 career goals.

The Capitals remain a balanced outfit, with depth throughout the roster and a reliable system that has kept them competitive.

Tampa Bay Lightning: regular-season machine

The core of Andrei Vasilevskiy, Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point still screams elite. Tampa topped the league in goals scored last season and ranked fourth in defence.

With rivals in the Atlantic Division showing inconsistency, Tampa have every chance to claim top spot again. Expected finish: around 109 points and first place in the division.

Chicago Blackhawks: lessons through setbacks

The rebuild is real, and it hurts. With heavy minutes for youngsters, losses are part of the process. A few prospects will pop, most will need time.

Expected finish: bottom of the table but strong odds for a top draft pick in 2026.

Minnesota Wild: time for a step forward

Injuries to Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek skewed last season. Healthy, the Wild looked like a top-five team in the West. The roster is settled, there’s cap breathing room, and youngsters are coming.

Expected finish: ~100 points and a first series win since 2015.

Boston Bruins: caught between eras

Last season’s slide was a warning. The post-Marchand attack lacks top-end punch, and Jeremy Swayman still has to meet the standard of his contract.

Expected finish: bubble team, roughly 95-97 points, margin for error thin in the Atlantic.

New York Rangers: careful adjustments

Mike Sullivan replaces Peter Laviolette and Vladislav Gavrikov bolsters the blue line, but losing Chris Kreider and K’Andre Miller could bite more than expected.

It hinges on Igor Shesterkin rediscovering peak form. Expected finish: ~100 points, steady rather than spectacular.

Edmonton Oilers: all eyes on Connor

Connor McDavid isn’t going anywhere. The only debate is short-term flexibility vs a longer commitment. Either way, with McDavid on the ice, the ceiling is sky-high.

Expected finish: 109-111 points and among the West’s top contenders.

Florida Panthers: wear and tear showing

Three straight Finals have a cost. Florida still have the star power and structure, but after so much hockey the edges dull.

Expected finish: ~104 points and a safe play-off place, but repeating deep runs is a big ask.

Montreal Canadiens: steady climb

Nick Suzuki’s 89 points, Cole Caufield’s 37 goals and growth from Juraj Slafkovsky set the platform. With added balance from Noah Dobson and Zach Bolduc, Montreal look more complete.

Expected finish: a meaningful step forward, firmly in the play-off conversation.

Philadelphia Flyers: Michkov’s moment

Matvei Michkov posted 63 points as a rookie. With greater trust and freedom, the next leap is on.

Expected finish: around 40 goals and confirmation as Philadelphia’s new star.

Pittsburgh Penguins: the captain stays

Sidney Crosby intends to see out his deal in Pittsburgh through 2027. Evgeni Malkin could explore a move for one last big push, but the bond with the Penguins stays strong.

Stanley Cup Final Prediction: Carolina vs Vegas

If there’s a team built for the decisive moment, it’s the Carolina Hurricanes - elite leaders in Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, true depth, young legs, and cap space to strengthen late in the season.
The most likely opponent: the Vegas Golden Knights.

Prediction: Carolina will win the Stanley Cup.

Written by Mark Lehtonen · 7 October 2025