Canadiens vs Penguins, Saturday October 31 at 7 p.m. at the Bell Centre: TV channel, probable goalies, lineup, injuries and keys as Montreal goes for a fifth straight win.
Canadiens vs Penguins: Saturday, October 31, 7 p.m., Bell Centre. Fresh off a 5-2 win in Dallas, the Canadiens come home on Halloween night looking for a fifth straight win. They face a Penguins team that beat them 6-5 in overtime on October 3, but that has lost six straight on the road. Here is the time, the TV channel, the probable goalies, the lineup and everything to know before puck drop.
- When: Saturday, October 31, 2026, 7 p.m. ET, at the Bell Centre.
- TV: TVA Sports in French, Sportsnet East and Sportsnet One in English.
- In goal: Jacob Fowler should get the start after Jakub Dobeš won in Dallas.
- Out: Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov and Sam Montembeault for Montreal. Bryan Rust for Pittsburgh.
- The stakes: a fifth straight win, and payback for the 6-5 overtime loss on October 3.
What time is the game, and on what channel?
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. Eastern at the Bell Centre in Montreal. In Quebec, the game airs in French on TVA Sports. In English, it airs on Sportsnet East and Sportsnet One. In the United States, it streams on ESPN+.
Who will be in goal?
Jacob Fowler should be back in the Montreal net after resting in Dallas. He leads the team with a 6-1-0 record, a 1.54 goals against average, a .942 save percentage and two shutouts. Jakub Dobeš (2-2-2) made 17 saves in Thursday's 5-2 win. For Pittsburgh, Arturs Silovs (5-3-1, .889) has started the last five games, including 30 saves against Utah on Thursday. Sergei Murashov (0-3-1) is the other option.
The Canadiens' probable lineup
Forward lines used in Dallas on Thursday. Mike Matheson is day to day with a lower body injury. The official lineup will be confirmed after the morning skate.
Who is out?
Montreal: captain Nick Suzuki (upper body, two to four weeks as of October 22), Ivan Demidov and Sam Montembeault (injured reserve). Mike Matheson is day to day. Pittsburgh: Bryan Rust is out at least six weeks as of October 22. Justin Brazeau, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Ryan Graves and Elmer Söderblom are also on the injury list.
Three keys to the game
- Punish a leaky defence. Pittsburgh allows 3.31 goals per game (23rd) and is 1-5-1 on the road. Montreal has scored 16 goals in its last five games.
- Finally wake up the power play. Montreal ranks 31st (10.3%). Pittsburgh's penalty kill is 8th (84.4%). Winning at even strength again may be the safer bet.
- Contain Pittsburgh's veterans. Erik Karlsson leads the Penguins with 13 points, and Evgeni Malkin has 6 goals. In October, they scored six on Montreal.
Players to watch
Where the two teams stand
The Canadiens are 8-3-2 (18 points), second in the Atlantic Division behind Boston, after sweeping a four game road trip: Chicago, the Heritage Classic in Winnipeg, St. Louis and Dallas. They are 3-2-1 at home. The Penguins are 5-6-2 (12 points), sixth in the Metropolitan Division, with a 3-5-2 record over their last 10 games.
The last meeting
On October 3 in Pittsburgh, the Penguins won 6-5 in overtime. Montreal scored five goals on 25 shots against Silovs, including two from Cole Caufield, but still left without the win.
More on the Habs: our Canadiens 5, Stars 2 recap, our complete 2026-27 Canadiens guide, who is Jacob Fowler, who is Cole Caufield and who is Lane Hutson.
Canadiens vs Penguins: your questions
What time is the Canadiens vs Penguins game?+
Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 7 p.m. Eastern, at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
What channel is the Canadiens vs Penguins game on?+
TVA Sports in French, Sportsnet East and Sportsnet One in English, and ESPN+ in the United States.
Who is in goal for Montreal?+
Jacob Fowler should start after Jakub Dobeš played Thursday in Dallas. The confirmation comes after the morning skate.
Is Nick Suzuki playing?+
No. The captain is still out with an upper body injury.
Who won the last Canadiens vs Penguins game?+
The Penguins won 6-5 in overtime on October 3, 2026, in Pittsburgh.
Sources: RG.org, iHeart Sports, ESPN, PuckFeed.
