The Montreal Canadiens hosted the Nashville Predators on Thursday night, eager to return to the win column after a pair of frustrating losses.
Prior to puck drop, the Canadiens made a few lineup changes, including a reunion on the top line between Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky. Consequently, Chris Kreider was used on the second line, alongside Alex Newhook and Josh Anderson.
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On defence, the Habs decided to break up the Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson pairing, a solid decision given their underwhelming statistics over the course of the last year. Lane Hutson was used with Dobson on the top pairing, while Mike Matheson played with Alexandre Carrier on the second. Adam Engstrom, who made his season debut, was paired with Arber Xhekaj. Netminder Jacob Fowler, who was called up following the injury to Samuel Montembeault, was tasked with guarding the net.
The Habs held an edge in shots and scoring chances, but it was all for naught, as the Predators emerged with a 5-2 win.
Let’s dive into the highlights!
Momentum At Your Back
The Canadiens started the game on the right foot, and even appeared to have taken an early lead when Chris Kreider took advantage of poor defensive awareness from the Predators to score the opening goal of the game. Unfortunately for the Habs, the play was offside, but it was a good sign for a team that needs to generate a lot more high-danger scoring opportunities.
Chris Kreider appears to give the #GoHabsGo a 1-0 lead, but the play is under review for an offside challenge. https://t.co/AKQgyrRUlc
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) October 8, 2026
The good news is that the momentum stayed firmly in Montreal’s corner, allowing captain Nick Suzuki to score his third goal of the season in yet another broken play. It’s worth noting it was also Suzuki’s seventh point of the year.
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When it comes to the Canadiens’ offence, the ultimate truth is that they’ll go as far as Suzuki can lead them. However, he’ll also need a little help from his friends, as evidenced by Noah Dobson’s excellent pressure that forced the turnover prior to Suzuki’s goal.
As per usual, Nick Suzuki drives the offensive charge for the #GoHabsGo.He opens the scoring versus the Predators, his seventh point of the season already. https://t.co/hdD0ZT7Mu3
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) October 9, 2026
Rewarding Hard Work
Veteran Josh Anderson is not known for shying away from difficult situations. His endless stream of energy is one of the main reasons he’s been able to reinvent himself as a bottom-six forward in the NHL.
With that in mind, Anderson’s sustained forecheck led to Montreal’s second goal of the game, Newfoundlander Alex Newhook’s first of the season. It was an important goal, not only because it gave the Habs a two-goal lead, but also, because the Canadiens have been awful in second periods for the last year or so.
Another EXCELLENT forecheck leads to a #GoHabsGo goal. This time around it was Josh Anderson who applied the pressure, and Alex Newhook finished the play. 2-0. https://t.co/5kqAFbc4j1
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) October 9, 2026
Second Period Collapse
The Canadiens had only allowed three high-danger scoring chances midway through the game, a significant improvement compared to the previous outing, which saw the Carolina Hurricanes register almost a dozen high-quality shots in the same stretch.
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But all good things come to an end, and as previously mentioned, the second period is rarely kind to the Habs.
The Predators scored twice in the final five minutes of the frame, including a goal that also led to a powerplay for visitors.
The net is clearly off its moorings, but it may stand since Anderson pushed Stamkos into the post (according to TSN). https://t.co/aH42ULZKVA
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) October 9, 2026
Tasmanian Devil
While the Canadiens controlled the shots and high-danger scoring chances, they failed to capitalize on their opportunities. To make matters worse, the Habs also displayed the same type of discipline you’d expect from a bear that escaped from a zoo and found an unlocked honey factory.
The Predators, on the other hand, did take advantage of their opportunity, scoring a late goal to establish a 3-2 lead while Matheson sat in the box for a penalty that could have easily been avoided, if not for his chaotic style of play.
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Fans can complain about officiating until the cows come home, but until the Habs remedy their lack of discipline, they’ll continue the parade to the penalty box on a nightly basis, giving their opponents a very easy path to victory.
RYAN O’REILLY PUTS NASHVILLE IN FRONT! https://t.co/5B6GZ9S10v
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 9, 2026
The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action on Saturday, facing the Detroit Red Wings at the Bell Centre, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
