We’re counting the days until Dec. 18, when the Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks meet at the Bell Centre.
Yes, we here at the Hidden Game always get stoked over Original Six rivalry games. And we absolutely adore the Blackhawks’ uniforms.
But we also remember a time when there were only six teams and when clubs faced each other 14 times over a 70-game regular season. And, quite frankly, when animosity existed between teams, recall some players would refuse to dine in a restaurant if they saw an opposing player.
And if Saturday night’s confrontation at Chicago’s United Center — won 3-2 by the Canadiens — is any indication, these teams don’t like each other. Hopefully, they’ll remember that in another 68 days.
Another night, another centennial celebration: On this season-opening, three-game road trip, the Canadiens met two clubs — Detroit and Chicago — which are 100 years old.
News you need (Part I): Somehow, in all that time, the Blackhawks never have opened the season at home against Montreal. Go figure.
News you need (Part II): Chicago had been 16-5-3 against the Canadiens, despite years of inferiority. That included a 9-3-1 record at home.
News you need (Part III): The Blackhawks can’t win faceoffs for some strange reason. They were 31st overall last season (44.8 per cent) and weren’t good during their opening two-game road trip (41.5 per cent). And they’re not improving. They won only 38.5 per cent of their draws against Montreal.
Stat of the night: The Canadiens had an incredible, and mind-boggling, 10 power plays against Chicago. That included a two-man advantage for 33 seconds in the first period, when the Blackhawks took four minors alone, yet Montreal failed to score. While the Canadiens managed to score twice with the man-advantage in the second period, a 20 per cent success rate isn’t going to take a team far.
Our cheap-shot of the night: If anyone ever needed to buy a vowel on Wheel of Fortune, it’s Chicago defenceman Matt Grzelcyk.
Shift of the night: While Russian rookie Ivan Demidov still is seeking his first goal this season, wasn’t that a nice back-checking effort he produced on Nick Foligno in the first period to break up a potential scoring threat? Demidov skated a mile on the play, yet refused to give up.
Dumb penalty: There were a bunch on the Blackhawks’ side as the team continually displayed a lack of discipline. But one in particular jumped out. Early in the second period, defenceman Wyatt Kaiser received a cross-checking minor. Demidov was trapped in the Chicago net — and Kaiser wouldn’t allow him to depart. Cole Caufield opened the scoring on the ensuing power play.
Fifth time’s the charm: That goal made the Canadiens one for five with the man-advantage.
Momentum … schmomentum (Part I): 1:47 later, Chicago tied the score on a goal by defenceman Sam Rinzel. It was his first career NHL goal.
Faceoff of the night: Frank Nazar beat Jake Evans to the draw, leading to Rinzel’s goal.
One more reason to like the kid: We’re not sure Demidov ever has fought, or will fight, in the NHL. But he put what looked like a bear hug on Tyler Bertuzzi during a scrum. Demidov was left with a bloody lip — and laughed about it on the bench.
Hit of the night (Part I): Kaiden Guhle destroyed Nazar with an ope-ice hit in the neutral zone in the second period, leading to a Royal Rumble involving numerous players.
Great moments in officiating: While explaining the penalties that followed, referee Mitch Dunning announced: “The other two guys …” He was talking about Alex Newhook and Kaiser.
Momentum … schmomentum (Part II): Only 1:13 following Rinzel’s goal, Zachary Bolduc converted a rebound in front on the power play for a 2-1 lead.
About that trade: How good is the Bolduc deal — acquired from St. Louis for blueline prospect Logan Mailloux — looking? It’s early in the season, but the guy has three goals in as many games. If he scores again Tuesday night, in Montreal’s home-opener against Seattle, a statue might have to be erected. And even if he doesn’t.
Hit of the night (Part II): Josh Anderson on Nazar in the third period.
It felt like forever: Poor Mike Matheson broke his stick at the end of a Chicago power play in the third period, tried gloving the puck ahead to a teammate at one point — we thought he succeeded, which would have resulted in a whistle — but couldn’t get to the bench because his teammates never retrieved the puck for at least a minute. Or so it seemed.
If only: With the score tied 2-2, Andre Burakovsky hit the crossbar in the 13th minute of the final period. Chicago might have been that close to its first win this season.
This is why teams lose: Before Guhle’s winning goal with 15 seconds remaining, Rinzel ran into goalie Spencer Knight, forcing him to lose his stick. The netminder was on his knees when Guhle beat him from distance.
Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault makes a save against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Chicago.
Stats of the night: Guhle had four shots and three hits. The Canadiens won 61.5 per cent of their faceoffs. That included Evans, who was 10 of 14 (71 per cent) and Nick Suzuki, who won 14 of 21 (67 per cent). Noah Dobson played a team-high 23:34 — 26 seconds more than defence partner Matheson. Samuel Montembeault stopped 20 shots for a .909 save percentage. The Canadiens were outhit, 22-16. Chicago took 39 of the game’s 56 penalty minutes.
They said it: “It was a weird game. A lot of power plays and special teams,” Guhle told the media in Chicago. “I didn’t know I scored. I thought (Juraj Slafkovsky) scored. I still don’t know if I did.”
“I think we were a little more crisp and decisive with our plays,” Suzuki told reporters in Chicago. “I think we got to work on the power play a lot and learned a lot of stuff about it. We had some big goals that propelled us to the win. There are some things to clean up there. They were trying to stir some stuff up. We didn’t back down at all.”
“He’s a tough kid,” head coach Martin St. Louis said about Demidov. “He takes hits to make plays. He doesn’t play on the outside.”
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