Are the Canadiens in Trouble with a 3-Game Slide Against the Red Wings?

The game will take place in Montreal, between Canadiens and Red Wings Quebec, on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

The Detroit Red Wings didn’t expect their playoff destiny to come down to the last game of the season. Seven weeks ago, they were eight points ahead in the wild card race.

Coach Derek Lalonde had a feeling this might happen, though. Luckily, they still have a shot.

Thanks to Lucas Raymond’s clutch performance on Monday, they pulled off a 5-4 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena.

The Montreal Canadiens want to stop their three-game losing streak. They thought its a great lose. They’ll try to do that when they play against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Montreal Canadiens have a record of 30 wins, 36 losses, and 15 ties overall this season. In games against their division, the Atlantic Division, they have won 5, lost 13, and tied 7. On average, they spend 10.2 minutes per game in the penalty box, which ranks them eighth among NHL teams in penalty minutes.

The Detroit Red Wings have had a better season so far, with a record of 40 wins, 32 losses, and 9 ties. They’ve been particularly strong against teams in their division, the Atlantic Division, winning 14 games, losing 7, and tying 4. Throughout the season, they’ve scored 271 goals and allowed 269 goals, giving them a scoring differential of +2.

This upcoming Tuesday’s game will be the fourth time these teams have played each other this season. In their most recent matchup, the Red Wings won 5-4 in overtime, with Lucas Raymond scoring two goals for Detroit.

Key players for the Canadiens include Juraj Slafkovsky, who has scored 19 goals and provided 29 assists this season. Cole Caufield, who has scored 7 goals and made 2 assists in the last 10 games. For the Red Wings, Lucas Raymond leads with 31 goals and 40 assists. While Dylan Larkin has contributed 5 goals and 7 assists in the last 10 games.

The Canadiens have won 3 games, lost 4, and tied 3 in their last 10 games. They’ve been scoring an average of 3.6 goals per game while allowing 3.5 goals against them. On the other hand, the Red Wings have won 4 games. While lost 3, and tied 3 in their last 10 outings. They’ve been scoring an average of 3.1 goals per game and allowing 3.3 goals against them.

In terms of injuries, the Canadiens will be missing Joshua Roy (upper body), while Kaiden Guhle (upper-body) is listed as day-to-day. Kirby Dach (knee) and Arber Xhekaj (shoulder) are out for the season.

In a recent game, the Detroit Red Wings staged an impressive comeback against the Canadiens, winning 5-4 in overtime. Lucas Raymond was the hero, scoring the game-tying goal with just 1:17 left in regulation. Before netting the overtime winner with 25 seconds remaining. The victory keeps the Red Wings’ playoff hopes alive, with their fate. Its now dependent on their upcoming game against Montreal. And the outcome of the Washington Capitals’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Detroit Red Wings had an impressive streak of making it to the postseason for 25 consecutive years. Which was the third-longest in NHL history. However, this streak came to an end in 2016 when they played at Joe Louis Arena. With their loyal fans longing to cheer for a playoff-bound team once again. The arena was filled to the brim for the final regular-season game at their new home, Little Caesars Arena.

In a notable moment, Brendan Gallagher’s first goal for the Canadiens was set up by Lane Hutson, a 20-year-old defenseman from Holland, Michigan, who was making his NHL debut. Reflecting on the experience, Hutson, a second-round pick in the 2022 draft, expressed how special it was to have his family present for the occasion.

Following Gallagher’s goal, Justin Barron swiftly added another goal for the Canadiens, putting them further ahead less than two minutes later. Rafael Harvey-Pinard extended Montreal’s lead to two goals early in the second period, and Gallagher struck again late in the period, making it 4-1 in favor of the Canadiens.

Despite the spirited performance by the Canadiens, Gallagher acknowledged that they did a good job of quieting the crowd for most of the game, indicating the intensity of the matchup.

The Canadiens have been on a playoff drought, having missed the postseason for three consecutive years since their loss in the 2021 Stanley Cup final. Now, they are aiming to avoid finishing last in the Metropolitan Division for the third straight season, highlighting their determination to turn their fortunes around.