The Montreal Canadiens will be looking to break a long-standing losing streak tonight when they face off against the Minnesota Wild. However, the odds are stacked against them.
The Wild have dominated Montreal for years, winning 16 of their last 17 games against the Canadiens, including an active seven-game winning streak that stretches back to October 2019. This is Minnesota’s longest stretch of consecutive victories against any NHL opponent.
The Wildâs home-ice advantage only adds to the challenge as they have won their last 10 games against Montreal at Xcel Energy Center, a streak that began over a decade ago in 2013. The winning tenure, which was extended last December, is the sixth-longest active home winning streak in the NHL against a single opponent.
Funnily enough, the last time the Habs left St. Paul with a win was March 2011, and they did it in blowout fashion.
Star blueliner PK Subban became the first-ever Canadiens rookie defenceman to score a hat-trick in a game that ultimately concluded in an 8-1 victory for the visitors.
Forwards Benoit Pouliot and David Desharnais also had big nights, netting three assists apiece.
So, how will the Canadiens fare this time around?
Well, considering Montreal has lost six of their last seven outings and holds the worst record in the NHL’s Eastern Conference (5-9-2), experts would probably say, “Not great.”
To make matters worse, Minnesota has been red-hot to start the season, posting an impressive 10-2-3 record through their first 15 games.
However, the Canadiens did manage to score seven goals in their last game, securing a win. Meanwhile, the Wild fell short in their matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.
We’ll find out if the Habs can finally tame the Wild tonight at 8 pm ET.