After going 1-2-1 in the first four games of their five-game homestand before the three-day holiday break, the Boston Bruins are facing a huge game against their rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. After getting blown out, 6-2, by the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night, this feels like a must-win game for the Black and Gold with a five-game road trip on the horizon after the break.

After an optional skate at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday, superstar forward David Pastrnak didn’t beat around the bush on how important this game with Montreal is. He said it was the biggest game of the season, and he’s not lying. He knows that in the compact Eastern Conference standings, this is a game Boston can’t afford to leave without two points. Securing two in regulation would be ideal, but at this point, two points are two points.

Bruins give promising Viktor Arvidsson injury update ahead of Canadiens showdown

On Tuesday, the Bruins held their morning skate at Warrior Ice Arena, and joining the group and taking regular line shifts was injured forward Viktor Arvidsson. He has been out since a 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 11 with an injury, but according to team reporter Belle Fraser, he was on the second line Tuesday morning with Casey Mittlestadt and Pavel Zacha.

Bruins practice lines:

Geekie-E.Lindholm-Pastrnak
Mittelstadt-Zacha-Arvidsson
Jeannot-Minten-Kastelic
Steeves-Kuraly-Khusnutdinov
Eyssimont, Viel

Zadorov-McAvoy
H. Lindholm-Peeke
Kolyachonok-Lohrei
Aspirot-Soderstrom

Swayman/Korpisalo

— Belle Fraser (@bellefraser1) December 23, 2025

After practice, head coach Marco Strum said that Arvidsson would be a game-time decision, according to Scott McLaughlin of WEEI, but if he’s skating on the second line, it is more likely than not that Arvidsson will be back in the lineup. That would be a big addition for a lineup that needs as much goal-scoring as they can get.

In 25 games this season, Arvidsson has seven goals and 14 points for the Bruins after being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on July 1 in a deal right before free agency opened. If he can come back into the lineup and make an impact, that would be beneficial for Boston against a Montreal team looking for revenge for a Black and Gold win last month on the road.