Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens (33-18-9) are set to face the Anaheim Ducks (34-23-3), with the puck drop scheduled for 9 pm ET.
The Habs will look to bounce back after a frustrating performance on Tuesday, versus another Californian club, the San Jose Sharks. The good news is that the Canadiens managed to find the back of the net on five occasions, but it was overshadowed by their usual chaotic defensive setup, not to mention some questionable netminding, resulting in a 7-5 loss.
If the Canadiens hope to qualify for the playoffs without having to run their horses into the ground, as was the case last season, they’ll need every player on the ice to push in the same direction. In other words, they need fewer defensive breakdowns, better support for defencemen, and a heightened sense of anticipation from the goaltenders.
That’s not to say Montreal is at significant risk of missing the playoffs, as their odds are roughly 80%, but they will need to curb some of their bad habits down the final stretch of the season. This includes a lack of discipline, a recurring issue over the course of the last few years.
Lineup Changes, Starting Goalie
Head coach Martin St-Louis will turn to veteran netminder Samuel Montembeault versus the Ducks, however, it should be noted the Habs also play on Saturday, versus the Los Angeles Kings. This suggests we’ll see rookie goalie Jakub Dobes in action within 24 hours.
As for the forward lineup, we’ll be treated to new combinations, or more accurately, older combinations that have a history of succeeding. Juraj Slafkovsky was returned to the first line, a smart move when we consider no other player has done a better job alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
He’ll be replaced on the second line by Alex Newhook, who has done a great job providing secondary offence since returning to play from his long-term ankle injury. He has scored two goals and two assists in three games, and will look to maintain his excellent play with rookies Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov.
Seeing as Slafkovsky is back in his ideal situation, Kirby Dach will be used on the third line, as a winger, with Jake Evans and Zachary Bolduc completing the trio. This means the only line that will remain unchanged will feature veterans Josh Anderson, Phillip Danault, and Brendan Gallagher.
It remains to be seen whether Mike Matheson will be in uniform, as he missed Thursday’s practice due to a maintenance day. If Matheson is unavailable, Arber Xhekaj is likely to return to the lineup.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
Zach Bolduc – Jake Evans – Kirby Dach
Josh Anderson – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher
Mike Matheson* – Kaiden Guhle
Lane Hutson – Noah Dobson
Jayden Struble – Alex Carrier
Samuel Montembeault
Anaheim Ducks Projected Lineup
Chris Kreider – Leo Carlsson – Cutter Gauthier
Jeffrey Viel – Mason McTavish – Beckett Sennecke
Alex Killorn – Ryan Poehling – Jansen Harkins
Ross Johnston – Tim Washe – Ian Moore
Jackson LaCombe – Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger – Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov – Drew Helleson
Lukas Dostal
How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Ducks
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Anaheim Ducks, Friday, March 6, 2026, will be aired on TSN, and RDS. An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle is blown.
