The Montreal Canadiens (19-12-5) are set to face the Boston Bruins (20-16-1), with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
This will be the final game before the Christmas break, therefore both teams should be motivated, as to avoid lingering negative thoughts during the holidays.
It’s also a crucial game when discussing the standings, as the Bruins are currently just two points behind Montreal, though the Canadiens do have one game in hand.
The Habs held an optional practice on Tuesday morning, with both Cole Caufield and Brendan Gallagher absent from the drills. It remains to be seen if either, or both will miss Tuesday night’s game.
We do know that Montreal’s roster will feature a newcomer, or rather, a returnee, with Phillip Danault set to make his second Canadiens debut versus Boston.
Danault struggled in Los Angeles this season, a situation that was punctuated by his lack of offence, but we all know that context is king in hockey. If head coach Martin St-Louis decides to use Danault with linemates who possess a little more natural talent than Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore, Danault’s most common linemates with the Kings, there’s a decent chance we’ll see a little more offence from the 32-year-old centre.
That being said, the name of the game for Danault is defensive prowess. He should add a much-needed stalwart presence to the lineup, which is exactly what the doctor ordered for a team like the Canadiens.
You know him, you love him:
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) December 23, 2025
Phil Danault
pic.twitter.com/ipPPDxnq95
Rookie netminder Jacob Fowler will face Boston, his fifth start since being recalled from the Laval Rocket in the AHL. Fowler spent two years serving as Boston College’s starter, where he maintained a .932 save percentage.
His numbers in the NHL aren’t quite as spectacular, but we do have to give him credit, as he’s already provided much better numbers than his goaltender counterparts. In four games, Fowler has produced a 2.49 goals against average, and a very encouraging .915 save percentage.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Zachary Bolduc
Juraj Slafkovsky – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
Alex Texier -Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Samuel Blais – Joe Veleno – Owen Beck
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson
Lane Hutson – Adam Engstrom
Arber Xhekaj – Alex Carrier
Jacob Fowler
Boston Bruins Projected Lineup
Marat Khusnutdinov — Elias Lindholm — David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt — Pavel Zacha — Morgan Geekie
Tanner Jeannot — Fraser Minten — Mark Kastelic
Jeffrey Viel — Sean Kuraly — Michael Eyssimont
Nikita Zadorov — Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm — Andrew Peeke
Mason Lohrei — Victor Soderstrom
Jeremy Swayman
How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Bruins
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Boston Bruins, Tuesday, December 23, 2025, will be aired on TSN2 and RDS. An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows.
