Hockey season finally gets underway in Canada on Wednesday night. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens will battle it out in the opener in Montreal.
The teams enter the 2022-23 season on opposite ends of the spectrum.
The Maple Leafs are expected to once again be a top team. Their 115 points in 2021-22 were the fourth-most in the NHL. Auston Matthews scored 60 goals, earning him his second consecutive Rocket Richard Trophy.
Of course, nothing matters until the postseason, and for the sixth consecutive playoff the Maple Leafs were bounced in the first round last year. They fell in seven games to eventual Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay. Toronto once again enters this season with hopes of winning a playoff series for the first time since 2004.
Toronto reshaped its goaltending this summer. It let Jack Campbell walk as a free agent and traded Petr Mrazek. In their places are Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov, who figure to split starting duties. Could that be the key to Toronto finally making a deep postseason run?
The Canadiens finished with the league’s worst record last season. That was followed by a drama-filled offseason, starting with the team’s decision not to draft Shane Wright with the No. 1 overall pick, but instead select Juraj Slafkovsky. After that, the Canadiens made a number of trades, which included acquiring Sean Monahan, Evgenii Dadonov, Mike Matheson and Kirby Dach while saying goodbye to Jeff Petry and Alexander Romanov.
The Canadiens aren’t expected to be good. In fact, many see them as the clear bottom team in the Atlantic Division. But if any team knows what it’s like to prove the doubters wrong, it’s Montreal, which is two seasons removed from shocking Toronto in the first round of the 2021 playoffs by coming back from 3-1 series deficit.
MORE: Watch the 2022-23 NHL season on ESPN+
The Sporting News will provide updates and highlights for the Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens opening night game.
Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens score
Matchup | P1 | P2 | P3 | OT | F |
Maple Leafs | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
Canadiens | 0 | 2 | – | – | – |
Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens live updates, highlights
Third period
9:25 p.m. — Early power play for the Maple Leafs here in the third. Monahan gets his stick up high on Justin Holl and he’ll sit for high-sticking.
End second period
8:58 p.m. — After two periods, we have an even 2-2 game. Montreal was much better in that period, getting two goals from Caufield. Murray has been the best Leaf on the ice and one of the better players, keeping the Maple Leafs in this one so far.
8:54 p.m. — Big stop by Allen on the penalty shot. Kerfoot goes to the right, comes back down the middle and tries to beat Allen over the blocker, but a big save by the Habs goalie.
8:54 p.m. — Kerfoot draws a penalty shot for Toronto. He gets in past the defensemen thanks to a great feed from Rielly, but Xhekaj is called for hooking. A chance for the Leafs to regain the lead.
8:53 p.m. — A lengthy review by the officials, but it is ruled no goal.
8:48 p.m. — Nearly another goal for the Habs, as a defensive zone turnover goes to Dach, who attempts a wraparound, but it’s stopped by Murray. The Maple Leafs goalie somehow keeps the puck out of the net with his body along the goal line.
Kirby Dach came *this* close to making it 3-2 Habs pic.twitter.com/uWllMixNc8
— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) October 13, 2022
8:46 p.m. — GOAL! Down at the other end, it’s Caufield again, this time on a 3 on 2. He looks pass first, but both option were covered so he rips it by the glove of Murray. Tie game with four minutes left in the second.
Goal Goalfield.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/bg6zQac9AK
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 13, 2022
8:46 p.m. — Malgin breaks a breakaway after a great stretch feed, but his shot hits the post.
8:43 p.m. — Two good looks on the PP, both by Suzuki, but Murray stands tall and Toronto remains in front.
8:39 p.m. — Montreal heads back to the power play as Alexander Kerfoot is called for interference. The Habs are 0 for 3 so far on the night.
8:36 p.m. — GOAL! The Maple Leafs regain the lead, as Denis Malgin pots home a rebound in front. Tavares whacks at a loose puck from a Nylander shot and it goes right to Malgin, who drove the net and stood right in front and was rewarded, 2-1 Maple Leafs.
8:34 p.m. — The intensity is picking up in this one. The defensemen are becoming a lot more active in the play and haven’t been afraid to step up on an opponent and lay a hit.
8:27 p.m. — Toronto gets its first full power play of the night, as Rem Pitlick will sit for two for hooking.
8:21 p.m. — GOAL! Just 33 seconds into the second and Caufield finishes off a 2 on 1 with Suzuki. He beats Murray high on the glove side, finding the back bar of the net. An excellent start to the middle frame for Montreal.
Cole avec le but égalisateur!
Cole with the equalizer!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/8Ju1u7nsOw
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 13, 2022
End first period
8:02 p.m. — After 20 minutes, it’s 1-0 Maple Leafs. It wasn’t an overly impressive period from Toronto, but Murray looked sharp in net. An excellent chance for Suzuki and Caufield on a 2 on 1 in the final seconds, but his shot attempt misses a wide open net. Shots are 8-8.
7:55 p.m. — Back to even strength, nothing doing for either side on their respective man advantages.
7:51 p.m. — That will do it for the Canadiens’ power play as Chris Widemen is called for interference. It will be 4 on 4 for 1:14 before the Maple Leafs get their first crack on the PP. Murray making a couple of big stops during the shortened man advantage chance for the Habs.
7:47 p.m. — For the third time this period, Toronto is handed another penalty. This time, it’s Rasmus Sandin sent off for tripping Slafkovsky. Montreal is 0 for 2 so far tonight on the man advantage.
7:45 p.m. — GOAL! The top line for Toronto gets the job done, as Mitch Marner finds an open Bunting in front of the net for the goal. Looks like the Montreal defense got caught puck watching and no one had Bunting covered.
BUNTS GETS THE FIRST 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Yx0OQzwDSR
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 12, 2022
7:44 p.m. — The Canadiens have been the better team so far, thanks a lot to their young defensemen looking strong. Jordan Harris, Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj all look like they belong so far, stepping up in the play and playing physical as well.
7:38 p.m. — A much better power play by the Canadiens, getting some chances and shots on Murray, but they can not score.
7:36 p.m. — Great glove save by Murray on Caufield. Montreal is able to keep the puck in at the blue line, then Josh Anderson flicks a backhand across to Caufield, who slings it on net and into the glove of Murray.
7:35 p.m. — Another power play for the Habs, as Michael Bunting will sit for two minutes for holding Nick Suzuki. Cole Caufield put the first shot on net against Matt Murray on the delayed call, a solid blocker stop.
7:32 p.m. — Back to even strength, not a good power play for the Habs. No shots on goal and no real sustained time in the Toronto zone.
7:30 p.m. — Just over two minutes into the game, and the Canadiens head to the power play. Mark Giordano is called for interference against Evgenii Dadonov.
7:26 p.m. — After the Habs finished announcing all their players for their opening roster, we are finally underway at the Bell Centre.
Pregame
7:03 p.m. — And here is the starting lines for both teams.
Sheldon Keefe starts Bunting-Matthews-Marner, Rielly-Brodie
Marty St. Louis counters with Caufield-Suzuki-Anderson, Guhle-Savard
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) October 12, 2022
6:50 p.m. — Here’s the opening lineups for the Maple Leafs and Canadiens. Tavares is in for Toronto.
Season opening lineup 👇 pic.twitter.com/n88aBqLAui
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 12, 2022
Caufield-Suzuki-Anderson
Monahan-Dach-Hoffman
Slafkovsky-Dvorak-Gallagher
Pitlick-Evans-DadonovGuhle-Savard
Xhekaj-Wideman
Harris-Kovacevic— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) October 12, 2022
6:35 p.m. — Rookie lap for three of the Canadiens, as Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj make their NHL debuts tonight.
BIENVENUE DANS LA LNH! 🤩
WELCOME TO THE @NHL!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/zlceWktbp5
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 12, 2022
5:30 p.m. — It looks as if Matt Murray will get the start in goal for the Maple Leafs. He and Ilya Samsonov are expected to split duties to begin the season. John Tavares, who was expected to miss the first week with an oblique injury, is expected to play.
It looks like this will be the Leafs’ opening night lineup — if John Tavares is ready to go:
Bunting — Matthews — Marner
Nylander — Tavares — Malgin
Engvall — Kerfoot — Jarnkrok
Aston-Reese — Kampf — Aube-KubelRielly — Brodie
Muzzin — Holl
Giordano — SandinMurray
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) October 11, 2022
What time is Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens?
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Bell Centre
The puck drop for the Maple Leafs and Canadiens game is set for 7 p.m. ET. The game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal.
What channel is Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens on?
- TV channel: Sportsnet (Canada)
Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens is available to watch live on Sportsnet in Canada.
It will not air on TV for viewers in the United States, but it is available to stream.
How to live stream Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens
Fans in the United States can stream Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Viewers in Canada can stream the game on SN NOW.