Canadiens Face Stars in Dallas to Conclude Four-Game Road Trip

The Montreal Canadiens take on the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, wrapping up a four-game Western road swing. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT, with the matchup broadcast live on ESPN+.

Montreal enters the contest sporting a 7-3-2 record and aiming for a spotless finish to its current road trip. The Canadiens have managed a 4-1-1 away record despite missing several key players due to injuries, including team captain Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov, and goaltender Samuel Montembeault.

Shortly before puck drop, the Canadiens announced another significant lineup absence, revealing that defenseman Mike Matheson will miss the game with a lower-body injury. Matheson, who averages 23:45 of ice time per game and recently returned from a separate four-body absence, will be reevaluated once the team returns to Montreal.

Despite these absences, Montreal has rattled off three consecutive wins. Strong performances from rookie netminder Jacob Fowler helped secure recent victories against the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues. However, the Canadiens confirmed that Jakub Dobes will get the start in net against Dallas.

The Dallas Stars enter Thursday's matchup with a 7-4-1 record, returning home after holding status as betting favorites. The Stars are missing key contributors of their own, including shutdown defender Esa Lindell, Cameron Hughes, Matt Duchene, Oskar Back, and Radek Faksa.

Dallas head coach Glen Gulutzan has adjusted his defensive pairings during Lindell's absence, pairing Thomas Harley with Miro Heiskanen, while Lian Bichsel and Nils Lundkvist form the second defensive unit. Goaltender Jake Oettinger has posted strong metrics early in the season, recording a .929 save percentage across nine appearances.

Sportsbooks have installed the Dallas Stars as home favorites, reflecting their historical consistency and steady underlying metrics. Meanwhile, the Canadiens look to overcome a tough defensive workload against a quality opponent and capture a fourth consecutive victory to close out their road trip.