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NHL: New York Islanders at Montreal Canadiens
Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

MONTREAL — It feels like every hour features more Montreal Canadiens news, and we’re all bound to miss a story or two. On Sundays, we always recap the relevant NHL news you may have missed, to help you stay in the Canadiens loop.

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Montreal Canadiens News And Notes

Top Habs sniper Cole Caufield was named the third star of the week in the NHL, on the back of a three-game performance that saw him score four goals and four assists, including his hat trick in the pivotal game versus the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

While Caufield continues to impress in the Maurice Richard Trophy race, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is still considered the favourite to take home the Selke Trophy this season.

Suzuki briefly discussed his impressive consistency when it comes to improving his production. As per usual, he was fairly humble about the topic at hand.

It must not be an easy situation for veteran netminder Samuel Montembeault. He has lost his starter job to a pair of rookies, and yet, he’s still giving his younger counterparts a great lesson in being a good teammate.

Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle were involved in an awkward collision at practice, but thankfully, neither was worse for wear.

Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis has a tumultuous relationship with the media, but there are always a few lighthearted moments that emerge from the daily grind.

Jakub Dobes was the most important rookie in Montreal’s pivotal 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, though he was not the only first-year player who made his mark. Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen scored, however, Dobes was rightfully given the first star, as he stopped 41 of the 43 shots sent his way to secure the win. [Canadiens Highlights: Rookies Drive The Charge In Pivotal Win]

Take a closer look at how Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, has managed to become a beacon of success in some of the most important roles of a farm team: player development and establishing a winning culture. [Top-5 Reasons The Laval Rocket Continue To Find AHL Success]

Another day, another impressive statistic resulting from Cole Caufield’s goal-scoring excellence.

Juraj Slafkovsky had a rather humble approach to discussing the comparison made by NHL legend Jaromir Jagr.

Speaking of Slafkovsky, he and the rest of the Canadiens are well aware what’s at stake as they turn the corner down the final stretch of the season.

It took over a week, but the NHL finally decided to penalize Beckett Sennecke for his awful dive versus the Habs. He was fined $2000, as he was already warned for a previous embellishment earlier in the month.

Some unfortunate news on the Montreal-related injury front. Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin will be out of action until early April.

While most of the praise in recent games has been given to the Canadiens’ first line, it must be said that Alex Newhook’s return to the lineup has been the catalyst of success for both the first and second lines. [Newhook Return To Canadiens Lineup Catalyst Of Top-Six Success]

According to TVA Sports, rookie netminder Jakub Dobes has asked for a break when it comes to his media availability. It’s a fair request, all things considered. Mental health should always be the priority. [TVA Sports]

Check out this interesting breakdown of Cole Caufield’s goal-scoring excellence, via former NHLers Jason Demers and Devan Dubnyk.

Speaking of Montreal’s first line, they’re back to their dominant ways. The players in question obviously get most of the credit, but it’s a good reminder that Newhook’s presence on the second line allowed the reunion in the first place.

Sean Farrell scored his 15th goal of the year, however, the Laval Rocket dropped a 2-1 decision to the Utica Comets.

It was picture day at the Bell Centre, and it seems that the vibes were immaculate.

Jakub Dobes simply finds ways to win, including his strong effort to secure a 2-1 victory on Thursday night. The win was his 24th of the year, which is more than legendary netminder Patrick Roy had in his rookie season. It was also a crucial game when discussing Montreal’s playoff odds. [Canadiens Highlights: Dobes Wins, Surpasses Roy’s Rookie Haul]

Lane Hutson quietly hit 70 points on Thursday night versus the Columbus Blue Jackets, making him just the fourth defenceman in franchise history to reach the 70-point mark.

Head coach Martin St-Louis was clearly frustrated with the media on Thursday morning, a rather common occurrence in Montreal. The members of the media are attempting to gain as much information as possible before games, whereas St-Louis had made it clear he’s going to keep his cards close to his chest as the race to the playoffs heats up.

Forward Alexandre Texier was not in uniform on Thursday, with Joe Veleno replacing him in the lineup. Texier is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

ESPN produced a very interesting segment on top Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael Hage, touching on a few subjects, including his father’s unfortunate passing.

Shockingly, or not, two of the team’s best goalscorers spend a lot of time practicing their goal scoring.

Montreal is in a very healthy situation when it comes to their playoff hopes. The remaining games on the schedule will present a challenge, but it’s worth noting they have an easier strength of schedule than most teams in the Eastern Conference. [Updated Canadiens Playoff Situation, Remaining Games]

The Habs signed prospect Owen Protz to an entry-level contract. The defensive defenceman was selected 102nd overall in 2024, and though there are no guarantees in sports, he does project as a potential fit on a third pairing should maximize his potential. Protz is currently playing for the Brantford Bulldogs, producing five goals and 18 assists in 64 games this year. Once the CHL playoffs are over, the 6’2″ blueliner is expected to sign a professional tryout with the Laval Rocket.

As a reminder, Protz absolutely loves getting involved in violent hockey-related plays. Entertainment is on the menu whenever he’s on the ice.

Top prospect Michael Hage did not dress for the University of Michigan as they faced Bentley in the NCAA playoffs. Even though he missed an important game, the injury is not considered serious.

Alexander Zharovsky refuses to stop producing in the KHL. The talented winger had an assist in Salavat’s 4-3 win over Avtomobilist in the KHL playoffs.

Luke Mittelstadt scored his first professional goal on Friday night, though the Laval Rocket ended up dropping a 3-2 shootout decision to the Bridgeport Islanders.

The second line was dominant on Saturday night, as Oliver Kapanen, Alex Newhook, and Ivan Demidov scored goals versus the Nashville Predators. [Canadiens Highlights: Second Line Dominance]

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By Marc Dumont
Marc has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for Journal Metro, The Athletic, The ... More about Marc Dumont

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