Montreal faces a familiar playoff opponent at the Bell Centre, but injuries will test the Canadiens’ defensive depth. With Mike Matheson sidelined and Jacob Fowler back between the pipes, can the Habs build on Saturday’s 1-0 shutout victory over Detroit?

The Montreal Canadiens have an opportunity to accomplish something they haven’t managed yet this season: win two consecutive games. Puck drop against the Buffalo Sabres is Tuesday, October 13, at 6:30 PM ET at the Bell Centre.

Standing in their way are the Buffalo Sabres, a team Montreal knows well after eliminating them in seven games during last spring’s second-round playoff series. Alex Newhook‘s Game 7 overtime winner remains a memorable moment for Canadiens fans, but tonight’s matchup presents an entirely different challenge.

Montreal enters the game following a 1-0 shootout victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The performance was encouraging, particularly defensively, as Jacob Fowler stopped all 30 shots he faced before the Canadiens won it in the shootout.

However, head coach Martin St-Louis will have to make adjustments to his lineup.

Mike Matheson is out day to day, while Fowler will receive his third consecutive start. Both developments will be important storylines as Montreal looks to continue building momentum.

Matheson’s Absence Puts Montreal’s Defensive Depth to the Test

Losing Matheson is a significant concern for the Canadiens.

The veteran defenseman plays an important role in Montreal’s defensive structure and regularly handles difficult assignments against opposing forwards. His ability to move the puck, contribute offensively and play substantial minutes makes him a valuable part of the blue line.

His absence will require other defensemen to take on additional responsibilities.

St-Louis indicated that Kaiden Guhle is expected to absorb some of Matheson’s minutes, with Adam Engstrom and Arber Xhekaj also likely to see their responsibilities increase.

Guhle’s return comes at an important time for Montreal. His defensive abilities and physical presence could help the Canadiens manage the additional workload created by Matheson’s injury.

But redistributing those minutes is only part of the challenge.

The Canadiens must maintain their defensive discipline, manage their defensive-zone coverage and avoid putting additional pressure on Fowler.

Against a Buffalo team playing its second game in as many nights, Montreal will need all six defensemen to contribute effectively.

The key question is whether the Canadiens can maintain their defensive structure without one of their most heavily used defensemen.

Owen Beck Returns to the Habs Lineup

With Florian Xhekaj unavailable, Owen Beck has been recalled from the Laval Rocket and will be in the lineup against Buffalo. Beck is expected to play on the wing alongside Kirby Dach and Jake Evans, giving him an opportunity to contribute offensively while bringing energy and responsible two-way play to the line.

His forechecking, puck battles and defensive awareness will be important as the Canadiens look to maintain their momentum.

Jacob Fowler Gets Another Opportunity

Fowler will be back in the crease after an impressive performance against Detroit.

His 1-0 shutout victory gave Montreal an important win and provided another opportunity for the young goaltender to demonstrate his abilities at the NHL level.

St-Louis has decided to give Fowler a third consecutive start, while Jakub Dobes is scheduled to start Wednesday against the Washington Capitals.

The decision gives Fowler an opportunity to build on his recent performance and gain more experience in a demanding role.

Tonight’s matchup presents a different challenge, however.

Buffalo enters the game after scoring five goals against the Florida Panthers in a 5-3 victory. Although the Sabres will be playing on consecutive nights, their offensive potential cannot be overlooked.

Fowler will need to remain composed, control rebounds and communicate effectively with a defense that will be missing Matheson.

Montreal’s defensive execution will also be crucial. The Canadiens cannot expect their goaltender to bail them out every time they allow a dangerous scoring opportunity.

Fowler has earned another opportunity after Saturday’s performance. Now, the challenge is to demonstrate consistency.

Buffalo Is Playing Without Its Captain

The Sabres arrive in Montreal after defeating Florida 5-3, ending a two-game losing streak.

However, their victory came at a cost.

Captain and star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin suffered an upper-body injury and did not travel to Montreal with his teammates.

His absence is a major loss for Buffalo.

Dahlin plays a significant role in the Sabres’ defensive corps, particularly when it comes to moving the puck, creating offense from the blue line and directing the power play.

Without him, Buffalo will have to redistribute responsibilities among its remaining defensemen.

The Canadiens should look to take advantage of that situation by applying pressure, forcing defensive mistakes and making Buffalo work hard to retrieve the puck.

There is another factor in Montreal’s favor: the Sabres are playing their second game in as many nights.

Fatigue can become an issue when a team struggles to maintain possession or spends extended periods defending in its own zone.

St-Louis has already identified the importance of making Buffalo work for its offensive opportunities.

His message is straightforward: Montreal must take care of the puck and force the Sabres to travel the full length of the ice to generate their offense.

That means avoiding unnecessary turnovers, making smart decisions through the neutral zone and supporting the puck carrier.

If Montreal gives Buffalo easy opportunities to attack with speed, the Sabres can still create problems despite their injuries and demanding schedule.

The Power Play Must Find a Way to Produce

While the Canadiens have shown encouraging signs at five-on-five, their power play remains a major concern.

Montreal enters the game with a power-play efficiency of just 5.9%, the worst mark in the NHL.

That is an alarming number for a team trying to establish itself as a consistent contender for playoff positioning.

The Canadiens need to generate more dangerous opportunities when they have a man advantage. Too much passing without a shot can allow the opposing penalty killers to maintain their positioning and limit Montreal’s scoring chances.

St-Louis acknowledged that the team’s execution must improve.

The injury to Ivan Demidov has also affected the team’s offensive dynamics. Losing a player who can create opportunities and generate offense forces the coaching staff to adjust its power-play combinations.

However, the Canadiens cannot use one player’s absence as a complete explanation for their struggles.

They need quicker decisions, more direct attacks and a greater willingness to shoot when opportunities present themselves.

Montreal doesn’t need six or seven passes before every shot. It needs to recognize openings, attack them and make the opposing goaltender work.

Buffalo could present an opportunity to make progress in this area, particularly with Dahlin unavailable.

But the Canadiens must execute. A power play that continues to struggle will make it more difficult to win consistently, even when the team’s five-on-five performance improves.

Three Keys to the Game

1. Protect Fowler. With Matheson unavailable, Montreal’s defensemen must communicate effectively, manage their assignments and limit dangerous opportunities around the net.

2. Take advantage of Buffalo’s situation. The Sabres are playing on consecutive nights and will be without Dahlin. Montreal needs to pressure their defense, maintain possession and force them to defend for extended stretches.

3. Improve the power play. The Canadiens cannot afford to waste opportunities with the man advantage. Better puck movement, quicker decisions and more shots on goal must become priorities.

The Bottom Line

The Canadiens have an opportunity to build momentum, but tonight’s game will test their depth and their ability to maintain their defensive structure.

Matheson’s absence creates a challenge for the blue line, while Fowler gets another chance to establish himself after an impressive shutout against Detroit.

Buffalo will be without its captain, Dahlin, and will be playing its second game in as many nights. Those circumstances give Montreal an opportunity to take control of the matchup, but the Canadiens must be disciplined enough to capitalize.

The biggest question remains whether Montreal can combine its encouraging five-on-five play with better special-teams execution.

A second consecutive victory would be an important step for the Canadiens. But beyond the result, Montreal needs to show that it can adapt to injuries, defend consistently and finally get its power play moving in the right direction.