The Montreal Canadiens aim to build on a solid performance in their latest game when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
The Canadiens are coming off a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. They took a 2-0 lead in the second period, scored again early in the third and added another goal about a minute and a half after the Oilers got on the board later in the frame.
“It was our best game of the season,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “Tonight was very encouraging, and I feel like if we do that, you’re helping yourself to be consistent. And when you have consistency, you’re going to get home runs, you’re going to keep climbing in the standings. If you lack consistency, you’re just rolling the dice.”
It was the kind of bounce-back the team needed after a 5-4 overtime loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday. The Canadiens led 3-0 in that game before the Rangers closed the gap to one before the end of the first period. They then scored early in the second, giving them a 4-2 lead, which was the final goal they scored that night.
“I expect way more from this group and for some reason we’re not getting it consistently,” St. Louis said Saturday after the game. “The urgency is up and down. In this league, it’s too hard. Especially when you put yourself in a good spot in the first period, you’ve got to keep that urgency level up.”
Sunday’s win brought Montreal back to .500 on home ice, at 8-8-1, a notable contrast from their road results, where they are 9-3-3.
The Canadiens are 2-2-1 in their past five games.
The Flyers enter Tuesday’s matchup looking to snap a three-game skid (0-0-3). After falling in overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, the Flyers lost back-to-back shootouts to the Carolina Hurricanes in a home-and-home set on Saturday and Sunday.
Philadelphia trailed 2-0 late in the first period Sunday at Carolina before cutting the deficit with less than a minute to go late in the frame. Trevor Zegras scored with under two minutes to go in the third period to force overtime.
“This team never gives up,” defenseman Jamie Drysdale said. “Down one or two, we know we always have a fighting chance. We come in the room, we chat, we talk through it. We know we can be better.”
Zegras also recorded an assist on Sunday, bringing his team-leading totals to 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points. He has six points (three goals, three assists) during a four-game point streak and has accumulated 11 points (six goals, five assists) in his last nine games.
“He wants the puck, he wants to make plays, and that’s what we want from him,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said. “He’s been doing it all year.”
After closing out November on a 6-2-1 run, it’s been more of a struggle for the Flyers in December, going 2-2-3.
