The Montreal Canadiens now only have two games to play to wrap up their regular season - Photo credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1dfd5cf0-8b17-432c-bc10-beaf100967b2.jpeg] The Montreal Canadiens now only have two games to play to wrap up their regular season - Photo credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images The big day is finally here. After landing in Canada last week, tonight, Ivan Demidov should be making his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] as they take on the Chicago Blackhawks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks] at the Bell Centre. The Illinois outfit is having another tough season and is currently 31st in the league with no hope of moving up or down. Demidov Takes His First Strides As A Member Of The Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/demidov-takes-his-first-strides-as-a-member-of-the-montreal-canadiens] Three Takeaways From A Battle With The Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/three-takeaways-from-a-battle-with-the-maple-leafs] Fowler Wins First Game With The Kings Of The North [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/fowler-wins-first-game-with-the-kings-of-the-north] The Canadiens, who failed to clinch a playoff berth on their road trip last week, have another opportunity to do so, but they’ll have to avoid a trap they often fall into: playing down to the competition. In the only meeting between the two sides this season, Chicago got a 4-2 win, led by Nick Foligno and Tyler Bertuzzi. The Hawks lost their last game and have a 3-5-2 record in their previous ten games, while the Canadiens have lost their last two but are 6-3-1 in their previous ten matches. Montreal had a day off on Sunday, so there’s been no official indication of a possible lineup change, but it seems logical that Michael Pezzetta will make way for Demidov and that Samuel Montembeault will be back in net, even though Jakub Dobes was excellent on Saturday night. While the Habs were off, Demidov, Lane Hutson and Arber Xhekaj were still on the ice in Brossard. Ivan Demidov took his first strides with the Montreal Canadiens in an optional skate on Saturday morning. The Canadiens' number one netminder has a 2-1-1 record against the visitors, a 2.71 goals-against average, and a .908 save percentage. Dobes has never faced them and doesn’t have the greatest record at home. Arvid Soderblom was on duty when Chicago beat Montreal in January, but the Hawks have since acquired a new number one goaltender in Spencer Knight. Still, the backup has a 1-0-1 record against the Habs with a 1.92 GAA and a .937 SP. Meanwhile, Knight has a 1-1-0 record with a 3.52 GAA and a .875 SP and was in the net for Saturday night’s 5-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Up front, Patrik Laine is by far the Canadiens’ most productive forward against the visitors; he has 27 points in 29 games, and he’s followed by Christian Dvorak, who has nine points in 16 games, and David Savard, who has nine points in 30 games. Meanwhile, Nick Foligno leads the Hawks with 24 points in 54 games, followed by Teuvo Teravainen with 21 points in 23 games and Tyler Bertuzzi with 14 points in 21 games. Monday night’s tilt will be the 576th between the two sides, and they have each won five of the last ten games. The puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and fans should get to their seats early if they want to witness Demidov’s rookie lap. The Canadiens could have qualified for the Spring dance on Sunday, but the Columbus Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets]stayed alive thanks to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals]. If they want to make it, the Canadiens will have to book their playoff spot themselves. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwo-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen], never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains]. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/] for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
