The Montreal Canadiens enter their March 8, 2025, matchup against the Calgary Flames with a 30-26-5 record, fighting to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff conversation. Despite some encouraging performances this season, the Canadiens have struggled with consistency, especially on the road, where they have failed to cover the spread in 60% of their away games. Heading into the Scotiabank Saddledome, Montreal will need to address their defensive vulnerabilities and find ways to generate consistent offense against a Flames team that has been difficult to beat at home. Offensively, the Canadiens have been average, scoring 2.9 goals per game, which places them in the lower half of the NHL rankings. Nick Suzuki continues to be the heartbeat of the team, leading the Canadiens with 54 points, including 20 goals and 34 assists. His two-way play and ability to create offense in transition have been instrumental in keeping Montreal competitive. Cole Caufield has also been a major contributor, providing a scoring threat with his elite shot and speed, but his production has been streaky at times. One of Montreal’s biggest challenges this season has been secondary scoring. While Suzuki and Caufield have led the offense, the Canadiens have struggled to get consistent production from their middle-six forwards. Juraj Slafkovský, the 2022 first-overall pick, has shown promise but has yet to develop into a reliable scorer. Players like Josh Anderson and Sean Monahan have had flashes of offensive success, but overall, the Canadiens have lacked depth scoring, making it difficult for them to keep up in high-scoring games. Defensively, Montreal has had its share of struggles, allowing 3.2 goals per game.

The blue line, led by Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle, has been inconsistent, often leaving goaltenders exposed to high-danger scoring chances. While Matheson provides offensive upside, his defensive play has been suspect at times. The Canadiens will need a strong effort from their entire defensive corps to contain Calgary’s top scorers, particularly Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm. Goaltending has been another area of concern for Montreal. Jake Allen has been inconsistent, posting a .905 save percentage and a 3.15 goals-against average. Sam Montembeault has shown flashes of strong play and could get the start in this game, but neither goaltender has been able to carry the Canadiens on a consistent basis. Facing a Calgary team that generates quality scoring chances, Montreal’s netminder will need to be sharp to keep them in the game. Montreal’s special teams have also been a weakness, with their power play operating at just 19%, ranking in the bottom third of the league. Their penalty kill has been slightly better at 78%, but it has not been strong enough to compensate for their defensive struggles. Against a Flames team with a solid power play, the Canadiens must stay disciplined and limit their time in the penalty box to avoid giving Calgary unnecessary scoring opportunities. For the Canadiens to secure a win in Calgary, they will need to focus on defensive discipline, capitalize on their scoring chances, and get a standout performance from their goaltender. The road has not been kind to Montreal this season, but a strong showing in this matchup could help boost their confidence as they continue their playoff push. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective conferences, this game has significant implications, and Montreal will need to bring their best effort to come away with two points.