The Canadiens aim to bolster their postseason aspirations and levy another blow to those of the Toronto Maple Leafs when the Original Six rivals meet Tuesday in Montreal.
Montreal finds itself tentatively holding the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the third-place Detroit Red Wings in the Atlantic Division.
The Maple Leafs can be found in the cellar of the division thanks to the team losing all seven games (0-5-2) since returning from the Olympic break.
Juraj Slafkovsky collected two goals and an assist to help Montreal rally to a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. The former top overall draft pick had just four assists since returning from the Olympics.
“I want to be the guy that takes the game over, and we got a bunch of guys here that can do it, and, obviously, I want to be one of them as well,” Slafkovsky said. “Today, it could be me. Next game, it could be someone else, so that’s good, but I feel like the mindset that you want to be the guy that changes the momentum, that’s important.”
Montreal head coach Martin St. Louis is pleased with the progression of Slafkovsky.
“I think it’s just an evolution, you know. I don’t think we’re surprised,” he said. “All along, three years ago, two years ago, you’re trying to get him to improve all the time, think big picture. … He’s still very young, who knows how high his ceiling is, but it’s very, very high.”
Captain Nick Suzuki scored one goal and set up two others and Jake Evans also tallied Saturday. The former has nine points (three goals, six assists) and the latter has five (two goals, three assists) during their respective four-game point streaks.
Jakub Dobes improved to 10-1-2 in his last 13 games after making 36 saves versus the Kings.
“I feel like I bounced back better,” said Dobes, who yielded six goals on 27 shots in a 7-5 setback at the San Jose Sharks last Tuesday. “I accomplished that (Saturday). I just tried to be myself. I just played my game. I don’t think I’m any different than the last game.”
The Maple Leafs certainly would like to remove themselves from their last game, a 5-2 setback to Tampa Bay on Saturday. Following its conclusion, the team was booed off the ice.
“We have 18 games left, so we have to battle and work through this,” goaltender Anthony Stolarz said. “You hate to hear the boos with a minute left.”
Matias Maccelli scored a goal versus the Lightning to extend his point streak to five games (three goals, two assists).
Toronto captain Auston Matthews, who leads the team with 26 goals, is mired in an 11-game goal drought. He scored a goal in the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 victory over the Canadiens on Oct. 8.
Montreal’s Cole Caufield, who leads the team with 37 goals, has five goals and two assists in his last five games. He tallied in regulation and again in a shootout in the Canadiens’ 2-1 victory over Toronto on Dec. 6.
