The Montreal Canadiens host the Philadelphia Flyers at the Bell Centre in a classic inter-conference matchup between two proud franchises trending in opposite directions. Montreal (17-11-4, 38 points) has surged into Eastern Conference wildcard contention, riding Nick Suzuki’s elite two-way play and a resurgent power play while benefiting from strong home-ice performance. Philadelphia (16-9-6, 38 points) remains competitive in the Metropolitan Division despite inconsistency, fueled by Travis Konecny’s scoring touch and Matvei Michkov’s rookie flash, but road struggles and defensive lapses have cost points. This Tuesday clash contrasts Montreal’s structured forecheck and speed with Philly’s physicality and opportunistic counterattacks—special teams and goaltending will be decisive in a building renowned for its passionate, high-volume crowd.
Venue
Location: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC (21,105-capacity historic arena known for its steep seating, championship banners—24 Cups—and electric “Olé, Olé” chants; a true hockey cathedral)
Puckdrop: 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT)
Broadcast: Sportsnet East/RDS (Montreal local); NBC Sports Philadelphia; streaming on ESPN+ and SN Now; radio on TSN 690 (Montreal) and 97.5 The Fanatic (Philadelphia)
The Bell Centre’s holiday decorations and pre-game light show outside create a festive vibe for Philadelphia’s only regular-season visit to Montreal this year.
Team Records
Both teams sit tied at 38 points, but Montreal’s superior regulation wins give them the tiebreaker edge. The Canadiens rank top-10 in power-play efficiency; Philly excels in hits (No. 4 league-wide) but struggles on the penalty kill.
| Team | Overall Record | Division Record | Home/Road | Last 10 | GF/GA (Per Game) | PP% / PK% |
| Montreal Canadiens | 17-11-4 (38 pts) | 7-5-2 (Atlantic) | 10-4-2 / 7-7-2 | 6-3-1 | 3.25 / 3.00 | 25.2% / 81.5% |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 16-9-6 (38 pts) | 6-4-3 (Metropolitan) | 9-4-3 / 7-5-3 | 5-4-1 | 3.05 / 2.95 | 21.8% / 77.3% |
Montreal ranks No. 9 in goals scored; Philly No. 11 in shots per game (31.5).
Recent Team Forms
Montreal has caught fire with a 6-3-1 mark in their last 10, including a 4-2 win over Columbus—Cole Caufield (7 goals in December) and Suzuki drive the offense, while Samuel Montembeault’s .918 SV% stabilizes the crease. Home form: 5-1-1 in last 7, averaging 3.8 goals.Philadelphia is 5-4-1 over their last 10, rebounding from a mini-slump with a 3-2 OT victory against Carolina. Konecny (8 points last 6) and Michkov keep them dangerous, but road defense leaks (3.4 GA in last 5 away). Carter Hart has been solid (.910 SV% recently).
Injury Report
Montreal deals with forward depth issues; Philly relatively healthy on the blue line. Updates as of December 16 morning skate.
| Team | Player | Position | Status | Reason/Estimated Return | Impact Notes |
| Canadiens | Kirby Dach | C | Out | Knee (IR since Nov.) | Long-term; 20:00 TOI lost |
| Canadiens | Kaiden Guhle | D | Questionable | Upper body (day-to-day) | Game-time; top-pair minutes |
| Canadiens | Juraj Slafkovsky | LW | Available | Cleared; full practice | Rookie scoring intact |
| Flyers | Ryan Ellis | D | Out | Back (LTIR season-long) | No return timeline |
| Flyers | Sean Couturier | C | Available | Returned Dec. 12; no restrictions | Captain back at full strength |
| Flyers | Cam York | D | Available | Minor tweak resolved | Pairing with Provorov |
Montreal’s big three (Suzuki, Caufield, Cole) healthy; Philly leans on Konecny/Michkov/Frost line.
Key Player Matchups
Forward stars and physical battles highlight this one.
Nick Suzuki (Canadiens C, 16 G, 40 PTS) vs. Sean Couturier (Flyers C): Suzuki’s two-way dominance (8 points last 5) vs. Couturier’s shutdown role; Suzuki wins 55% faceoffs. Edge: Canadiens.
Cole Caufield (Canadiens RW, 20 G) vs. Travis Sanheim (Flyers D): Caufield’s one-timer (9 PPG) exploits Philly’s 77.3% PK; Sanheim must contain edges. Edge: Canadiens.
Travis Konecny (Flyers RW, 18 G) vs. Mike Matheson (Canadiens D): Konecny’s speed (6 points last 4) tests Matheson’s gaps; Montreal allows 30 shots/game. Edge: Even.
Samuel Montembeault (Canadiens G, .915 SV%) vs. Carter Hart (Flyers G, .908 SV%): Montembeault’s home dominance (.922 SV%) vs. Hart’s road consistency (.912 in last 5 away). Edge: Canadiens.
Matvei Michkov (Flyers rookie) vs. Canadiens Bottom Pair: Michkov’s vision could generate chaos if Montreal turns over.
Special teams: Montreal’s 25.2% PP feasts on Philly’s 22nd-ranked PK; Flyers’ physicality threatens shorthanded.
Series History
Longtime rivals meet for the 198th time (Montreal leads all-time 104-68-25). This season’s prior game:
Nov. 8, 2025: Philadelphia 3-2 win @ Philadelphia
Montreal strong at home (6-4 last 10 in Bell Centre vs. Flyers). Trends: Overs in 6 of last 10 meetings (avg. 6.4 goals); one-goal decisions in 4 of last 6.
Betting Trends
Trends: Canadiens 6-4 ATS last 10 as favorites; Flyers 5-5 ATS on road. Overs 6-4 in Montreal’s last 10 home; 5-5 in inter-conference.
Historical: Home teams 7-3 ATS in last 10 series games.
Game Odds
Philadelphia Flyers 5.5
Montreal Canadiens – 120
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, December 15, 2025
