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Canadiens Preview: Suzuki Nearing 100 Points
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- Canadiens Preview: Suzuki Nearing 100 Points
David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Montreal Canadiens (47-24-10) will face the New York Islanders (43-32-5) on Sunday, with the puck drop scheduled for 6 pm ET.
It will be the third and final regular season meeting between the two clubs, with the Canadiens emerging victorious in their most recent match-up. Cole Caufield scored a hat trick to power the Habs a to a decisive 7-3 win, while his linemates also enjoyed a fantastic outing, as Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky registered a four-point game.
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This time around, both teams are coming off frustrating losses the previous night, however, the Islanders will have extra motivation, as they're still not officially eliminated from the NHL playoffs. They only have two games left to play, and are six points behind the Wild Card cutoff, but they're only two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the final playoff position in the Metropolitan Division.
The Habs, on the other hand, can still catch the Buffalo Sabres for first in the Atlantic Division, but they'll need some help from their opponents to make it happen, seeing as they're two points behind and the Sabres own most of the tiebreakers.
As for individual players, all eyes will be on Nick Suzuki, who is just one point away from reaching 100 points for the first time in his career. Suzuki registered one assist in Montreal's 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, pushing his season tally to 28 goals and 71 assists in the process.
Lineup Changes
Jacob Fowler is expected to start for the Canadiens, with veteran netminder Samuel Montembeault serving as his backup.
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As for Noah Dobson , he was forced to leave Saturday's game after blocking a shot, and the team is yet to provide an update on his health status. Some have suggested a call-up for prospect David Reinbacher may also be in the cards.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Texier – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
Alex Newhook – Phillip Danault – Kirby Dach
Joe Veleno – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson*
Jacob Fowler
New York Islanders Projected Lineup
Anders Lee – Bo Horvat – Simon Holmstrom
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Calum Ritchie – Mathew Barzal – Brayden Schenn
Ondrej Palat – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Emil Heineman
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb
Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
How To Watch The Habs Vs.The Islanders
The Montreal Canadiens versus the New York Islanders, Sunday, April 12, 2026, will be aired on TSN2 and RDS. An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows.
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