Canadiens Stun Avalanche as NHL Weekend Takes Shape
The Canadiens handed the Avalanche a rare regulation loss Thursday night, setting the tone for a weekend that shifts from a quiet Friday to a full NHL slate Saturday, including marquee matchups across Canada and the United States.
CALGARY — The Montreal Canadiens shocked the Colorado Avalanche Thursday night with a 7–3 win at the Bell Centre. That was Montreal’s 30th win of the season as they sit atop the wild-card standings in the Eastern Conference, and they handed Colorado just its eighth regulation loss of the season as the Avalanche continue on with their historically successful campaign.
Friday’s NHL schedule is unusually light, with only one other game across the league. The lone matchup has the Columbus Blue Jackets visiting the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center.
The Blue Jackets enter the night 7–3 in their last 10 games, though they remain 10 points outside of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, leaving significant ground to make up despite the recent surge.
Columbus is still adjusting under new head coach Rick Bowness, who was appointed Jan. 12 following the firing of Dean Evason. Bowness, 70, was brought in to provide structure, defensive improvement, and veteran leadership after previously coaching the Winnipeg Jets.
Chicago enters the weekend with a 21-24-9 record and sits eight points outside of a playoff position as it continues through a developmental season.
The league schedule ramps up Saturday with a full slate of 14 games. In Calgary, the Flames host the San Jose Sharks in a 2 p.m. MT matinee. The Flames are 21-26-6 on the season, tied at 48 points and sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Elsewhere Saturday, the Canadiens travel to Western New York for a marquee matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. National attention will also follow the Toronto Maple Leafs as they visit the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena, with live coverage across all Provectus Media platforms from Vancouver on Saturday.
Colorado continues its road swing with an early start Saturday morning, visiting the Detroit Red Wings with puck drop scheduled for 11 a.m. MT.
Flames and Oilers clash in season’s first Battle of Alberta tonight
CALGARY -- The 2025-26 NHL season rolls into its second night with four games on the schedule, led by the year’s first Battle of Alberta as the Flames visit the Oilers at Rogers Place.
Puck drop is set for 8:00 p.m. MT in Edmonton, where Calgary opens its campaign on the road before heading to Vancouver tomorrow. The Flames return home Saturday for a 2 p.m. matinee against the St. Louis Blues at the Scotiabank Saddledome, marking their 2025-26 home opener.
The rivalry spotlight isn’t exclusive to Alberta tonight. In Toronto, another classic matchup kicks things off at 5:00 p.m. MT as the Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena. No matter the standings, Toronto-Montreal never feels like just another game — it’s Canadian hockey’s longest-running feud.
At 5:30, the Boston Bruins meet the Washington Capitals in D.C., while the Los Angeles Kings play their second straight night after dropping a 4-1 decision to the Colorado Avalanche in their season opener. They’ll face the Vegas Golden Knights in the late game from T-Mobile Arena.
Calgary’s AHL affiliate, the Wranglers, also open their season Friday night in Colorado against the Eagles, beginning a stretch that will see Flames and Wranglers players in action across four cities in four days.
The 2025-26 season is only two nights old, but the emotion, rivalries, and storylines are already taking shape — and tonight, the spotlight belongs to Alberta.