Monday, November 17, 2025 – 7:30 ET
Nationwide Arena – Columbus, Ohio
TV: FDSNOH; Radio: 97.1 FM
Montreal Canadiens (10-6-2, 22 points, 2nd Atlantic, 5th East)
at
Columbus Blue Jackets (9-7-2, 20 points, 7th Metro, 12th East)
Previously
Do you want the good news or the bad news? The bad news is the Jackets lost on Saturday night at home to a divisional opponent, the New York Rangers. The good news is that they at least got a loser point for taking it to a shootout, and Jet Greaves played well in goal.
Despite both teams being rested, as I was watching from 107 it felt like the pace of play was fairly slow. Neither team felt like the dominated, despite the Rangers having a clear edge in the underlying numbers. But I’m concerned that the Jackets didn’t threaten to score often enough.
Player to Watch
Cole Caufield
We love the Smol Goal Boi, don’t we, folks? The former Wisconsin Badger has 13 goals in his first 18 games and is making it very difficult for Bill Guerin and the rest of the USA Hockey brass to leave him off the Olympic roster. As a short man myself, I am also happy to see small player succeed and I hope Caufield continues. Just not tonight, obviously.
Jackets Notes
Jet Greaves has started four games in a row. Does Elvis Merzlikins finally get to play again tonight? … I enjoyed seeing some Blue Jackets alumni at the game on Saturday, but especially OG Jacket David Vyborny.
The Other Bench
Hey, remember Patrik Laine? Yeah, he’s out 3-4 months with a core body injury … The Habs have lost three in a row, all at home, with a combined score of 3-15 … Jakub Dobes will get the start in net. The OSU alumnus is 6-1-1 with a .901 SV% and 2.70 GAA. That’s way better than Sam Montembeault’s numbers this season, so Dobes may become the primary goaltender for the rest of the season.
Season Series
11/17/25 MTL @ CBJ
03/26/26 CBJ @ MTL
04/11/26 CBJ @ MTL
Stats
MontrealColumbus3.33 (6)GPG3.00 (17)3.39 (25)GAPG3.11 (19)21.4 (13)PP%16.3 (23)79.4 (16)PK%72.9 (26)48.4 (20)5v5 Shot Attempt %51.0 (14)49.4 (17)5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt %50.5 (14)11.3 (2)5v5 Shooting %9.3 (17)89.0 (26)5v5 Save %91.9 (9)Cole Caufield (13)G LeaderKirill Marchenko (8)Nick Suzuki (17)A LeaderKirill Marhenko (12)Nick Suzuki (19)P LeaderKirill Marchenko (20)Arber Xhekaj (30)PIM LeaderMathieu Olivier (44)5-2-1Home/Road4-3-14-4-2Last 105-3-2
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dmitri VoronkovAdam FantilliKirill MarchenkoLuca Del Bel BelluzSean MonahanKent JohnsonCole SillingerCharlie CoyleMathieu OlivierMiles WoodIsac LundestromYegor Chinakhov
Zach WerenskiIvan ProvorovDenton MateychukDamon SeversonJake ChristiansenDante Fabbro
Elvis MerzlikinsJet Greaves
Montreal Canadiens
Cole CaufieldNick SuzukiJuraj SlafkovskyZack BolducOliver KapanenIvan DemidovJoshua RoyJake EvansJosh AndersonJared DavidsonJoe VelenoBrendan Gallagher
Mike MathesonNoah DobsonJayden StrubleLane HutsonArber XhekajAlexandre Carrier
Jakub DobesSam Montembeault