Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Broadcast: NHL Network / MSG+
This is a late‑season Eastern Conference matchup between a surging Montréal team riding a five‑game winning streak and a New Jersey squad fighting to stay in the playoff picture.
Injury Report
Montréal Canadiens
Alexandre Texier — Day‑to‑day (lower body)
Alexandre Carrier — OUT (upper body)
Kirby Dach — OUT (upper body)
Patrik Laine — IR (abdomen)
New Jersey Devils
Arseny Gritsyuk — OUT (upper body)
Brett Pesce — OUT (lower body)
Stefan Noesen — OUT for season (knee)
Zack MacEwen — OUT for season (ACL)
Team Statistical Profile
Montréal Canadiens (44‑21‑10)
GF/GP: 3.51 (3rd in NHL)
GA/GP: 3.08
Shots For: 26.4 per game
Shots Against: 27.7 per game
Power Play: 24.41% (5th)
Penalty Kill: 77.16%
New Jersey Devils (39‑34‑2)
GF/GP: 2.77 (27th)
GA/GP: 3.07
Shots For: 29.8 per game (4th)
Shots Against: 27.4 per game
Power Play: 22.80% (10th)
Penalty Kill: 79.06%
Recent Team Form
Canadiens — Last 5 Games
W 3–2 @ NYR
W 4–1 @ TB
W 3–1 @ CAR
W 4–1 @ NSH
W 2–1 vs CBJ
Trend: Montréal enters on a five‑game winning streak, allowing just 6 goals over that span.
Devils — Last 5 Games
W 7–3 vs WSH
L 4–1 @ NYR
W 5–3 vs CHI
L 5–2 @ CAR
W 4–2 @ NSH
Trend: New Jersey is 3–2 in its last five, with inconsistent defensive results.
Key Player Matchups
Nick Suzuki (MTL) vs. Jack Hughes (NJD)
Suzuki: 94 points (27 G, 67 A)
Hughes: 68 points (24 G, 44 A)
This is a premier matchup of elite playmaking centers.
Cole Caufield (MTL) vs. Nico Hischier (NJD)
Caufield: 49 goals, Montréal’s top finisher
Hischier: 26 goals, New Jersey’s most reliable two‑way forward
Goaltending: Jakub Dobes (MTL) vs. Jacob Markstrom (NJD)
Dobes: 26‑8‑4, 2.73 GAA, .903 SV%
Markstrom: 22‑18‑1, 3.12 GAA, .883 SV%
Montreal holds the statistical edge in net.
Series History
The Devils won the previous meeting 4–1 against the Rangers before this matchup, while Montréal defeated Tampa Bay 4–1 in its last outing.
No direct head‑to‑head results for this season were provided, but Montréal enters with significantly stronger recent form.
Betting Trends
Montréal Trends
5‑0 in last five games
Elite power play (24.4%)
Strong road record (22‑8‑8)
New Jersey Trends
3‑2 in last five
High shot volume (29.8 per game)
Inconsistent goaltending (Markstrom .883 SV%)
Game Odds
Montréal Canadiens – 122
New Jersey Devils 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 3, 2026
