Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens (22-18-4) are set to host the Toronto Maple Leafs (28-16-2), with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
Thanks to yet another great performance from rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes, the Habs are fresh off a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars, their eight victory in the last 10 games. Of course, there’s more to the team’s uptick in results than just Dobes’ unbeaten record, but there’s no denying he’s quickly turning heads in more cities than just Montreal. The 23-year-old’s confidence and stoic approach to goaltending tends to frustrate forwards, as they have little to no net to aim at when they’re bearing down on him.
It remains to be seen who will guard the net on Saturday versus Toronto, but veteran Samuel Montembeault is expected to get the call. Despite Dobes’ great play, Montembeault remains the team’s starter, and his tenure with the team has earned him enough respect to avoid losing his job after just four wins from a rookie counterpart.
That being said, if Montembeault falters and Dobes maintains his excellent numbers, we will have to have a serious conversation as to which goalie should be handed the reins going forward.
ON TOPIC: Habs Highlights: The Jakub Dobes Show
There are no lineup changes expected on Saturday, which means Juraj Slafkovsky will have an opportunity to score goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Even though his goal production has diminished, we should also point out Slafkovsky’s overall production is on the rise thanks to a significant uptick in primary assists at 5v5.
While the first line continues to drive the bus at even-strength, we’re starting to see some encouraging results from Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, and Patrik Laine on the second line, as evidenced by their four regular-strength goals in the last two games.
This will be the third time the two rivals meet, with both teams earning a win in the previous games. The Habs opened the season with a 1-0 win over Toronto on October 9, while the Leafs responded with a dominant 4-1 win exactly one month later.
Mitch Marner leads all Leafs in scoring this season, with an impressive 14 goals and 48 assists, putting him on pace for a 111-point, 82-game prorated season. After missing time with an injury, Leafs captain Auston Matthews is back to terrorizing goaltenders. He has six goals and five assists in just seven games since returning to play. He also has 27 goals in 35 regular-season games versus the Habs, making him the forward to watch for all Canadiens players on Saturday night.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
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Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lineup
Knies – Matthews – Marner
McMann – Domi – Nylander
Pacioretty – Holmberg – Robertson
Dewar- Kampf – Lorentz
Rielly – Myers
McCabe – Tanev
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Timmins
Woll
How to Watch The Montreal Canadiens vs. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, January 18, 2025.
Game 45 of the regular season will be aired on TVA Sports, HNIC, and Sportsnet. Once the game is over, an instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Montreal Hockey Now.
