Game Details
Puckdrop is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET
Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec
Broadcast: The game will be available on ESPN+, Prime Monday Night Hockey, and regional networks like RDS and Sportsnet.
The Vancouver Canucks (16-23-5) visit the Montreal Canadiens (25-14-6) in a cross-conference matchup at Bell Centre. Vancouver is struggling through a five-game losing streak, including a 5-0 shutout loss to Toronto on January 10, while Montreal aims to rebound from a 4-0 blanking by Detroit on the same day. The Canucks rank last in the Pacific Division, plagued by injuries and poor defensive play (allowing 3.57 goals per game), whereas the Canadiens sit third in the Atlantic with strong offensive output (3.31 goals per game) led by young stars. Key storylines include the duel between top rookies Zeev Buium (Vancouver) and Ivan Demidov (Montreal), and Vancouver’s goaltending crisis without Thatcher Demko, forcing reliance on backups like Arturs Silovs.
Recent Team Forms
Vancouver has lost five straight, being outscored 20-6 in that span, with defensive breakdowns and goaltending issues evident in their shutout loss to Toronto. Montreal has a 3-2-0 record in their last five, showing resilience at home (12-10-1) but struggling offensively in their recent shutout to Detroit. The Canadiens have a 22-4-6 record when scoring three or more goals, highlighting their reliance on offense.
| Team | Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Canucks | Jan 10, 2026 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs | Loss | 0-5 |
| Canucks | Jan 8, 2026 | vs Detroit Red Wings | Loss | 1-5 |
| Canucks | Jan 6, 2026 | vs Buffalo Sabres | Loss | 3-5 |
| Canucks | Jan 3, 2026 | vs Boston Bruins | Loss | 2-3 |
| Canucks | Jan 2, 2026 | @ Seattle Kraken | Loss | 3-4 |
| Canadiens | Jan 10, 2026 | vs Detroit Red Wings | Loss | 0-4 |
| Canadiens | Jan 8, 2026 | @ New Jersey Devils | Win | 3-2 |
| Canadiens | Jan 6, 2026 | vs Calgary Flames | Win | 4-1 |
| Canadiens | Jan 3, 2026 | @ Ottawa Senators | Loss | 2-3 |
| Canadiens | Jan 1, 2026 | vs Toronto Maple Leafs | Win | 5-2 |
Injury Report
Vancouver’s goaltending depth is depleted with Thatcher Demko on IR, impacting their ability to contain Montreal’s attack. Montreal could see returns from Josh Anderson and Kaiden Guhle, but Patrik Laine remains sidelined long-term. Monitor game-time decisions, as several players participated in morning skates but are questionable.
Vancouver Canucks:
Thatcher Demko (G): IR (Lower Body) – Estimated Return: Jan 19, 2026
Conor Garland (RW): Out (Undisclosed) – Estimated Return: Jan 15, 2026
Filip Chytil (C): IR (Undisclosed) – Estimated Return: Jan 15, 2026
Teddy Blueger (C): IR (Lower Body) – Estimated Return: Jan 15, 2026
Montreal Canadiens:
Josh Anderson (RW): Day-To-Day (Upper Body) – Estimated Return: Jan 12, 2026
Kaiden Guhle (D): Day-To-Day (Undisclosed) – Estimated Return: Jan 12, 2026
Patrik Laine (RW): IR (Abdomen) – Estimated Return: Feb 28, 2026
Kirby Dach (C): Questionable (Lower Body/Foot) – Estimated Return: Jan 12, 2026 (skated but status unclear)
Jake Evans (C): Questionable (Lower Body) – Estimated Return: Jan 12, 2026 (skated but status unclear)
Key Player Matchups
This game features a clash of styles: Vancouver’s struggling offense (2.66 goals per game) against Montreal’s solid defense (3.20 goals against). Rookies Buium and Demidov add intrigue, while Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson faces Montreal’s shutdown lines. Goaltending favors Montreal’s Sam Montembeault (.910 save percentage) over Vancouver’s backups.
Elias Pettersson (Canucks C) vs. Nick Suzuki (Canadiens C): Pettersson’s creativity (26 points) meets Suzuki’s two-way play and faceoff wins (54%).
Zeev Buium (Canucks D, Rookie) vs. Ivan Demidov (Canadiens RW, Rookie): Top prospects duel; Buium’s mobility vs. Demidov’s scoring touch in their first head-to-head.
Kiefer Sherwood (Canucks LW) vs. Cole Caufield (Canadiens RW): Sherwood’s team-high 17 goals against Caufield’s sniping (21 goals, leading Montreal).
Quinn Hughes (Canucks D) vs. Juraj Slafkovsky (Canadiens LW): Hughes’ puck-moving (30 assists) tested by Slafkovsky’s physicality and emerging offense.
Arturs Silovs (Canucks G) vs. Sam Montembeault (Canadiens G): Silovs steps in amid injuries vs. Montembeault’s consistency in net.
Series History
Montreal holds a dominant all-time edge at 101-38-13-3 (69.4% win rate), including a three-game winning streak against Vancouver. However, the Canucks are 5-3-2 in their last 10 meetings, showing recent competitiveness. At Bell Centre, Montreal is 47-24-8 against Vancouver. Games average 5.8 combined goals in recent matchups, with the home team winning six of the last 10. Montreal won their only meeting this season 3-2 on November 15, 2025.
Betting Trends
Montreal opened as -185 favorites, holding steady at -186 in some books, reflecting Vancouver’s skid. The over/under is 6.5, with trends leaning over (52.3% of Vancouver’s games; 55.6% of Montreal’s). Vancouver is 1-4 ATS in their last five and 8-13-2 on the road, while Montreal is 12-10-1 at home but 2-3 ATS in recent games.
Game Odds
Vancouver Canucks 6.5
Montreal Canadiens – 185
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, January 11, 2026
