Montreal’s Bell Centre opener turned into a wild 6-4 loss Tuesday, with the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes spoiling a night that began with noise, ceremony and a 3-2 Canadiens lead after 20 minutes. Carolina scored three in a row, Montreal pulled within one late, and an empty-netter closed it out before 20,962 fans.
- Montreal opened its 109th NHL season and saw its four-game home-opening winning streak end.
- The Canadiens were charged with 19 turnovers. Coach Martin St. Louis said his club could not afford to get “cute” through the neutral zone against Carolina’s quick reloads.
- Montreal had two separate 5-on-3 advantages spanning 1:38 but did not score on either opportunity.
- Special teams, 30 penalty minutes and 10 total goals kept the building busy from the opening faceoff onward.
- No injury updates, scratches, starting goaltenders or forward and defence pairings were provided.
- Before puck drop, Montreal honoured 1993 Cup-winning defenceman Lyle Odelein with a moment of silence. Odelein died four days earlier at age 58.
- St. Louis received a standing ovation during the introductions and acknowledged the crowd by patting his heart.
- Twenty-two Hockey Quebec youth players joined the pregame presentation as the organization marked its 50th anniversary.
- Yvan Cournoyer attended what he counted as his 62nd consecutive Canadiens home opener. The 10-time Cup winner said opening night brings nerves, but “once it starts, it’s another game.”
- Former Canadiens in attendance included Guy Carbonneau, Réjean Houle, David Savard, Stéphane Richer, Chris Nilan, Murray Wilson, Mathieu Dandenault, Stéphane Quintal, Dave Morissette, Serge Boisvert and former team president Pierre Boivin.
- Yvon Lambert watched from home while recovering from August surgery after breaking his hip and femur in a fall.
The loss also revived a recent playoff memory. Carolina ended Montreal’s 2026 postseason in five games in the Eastern Conference Final on the way to the championship, and the Hurricanes again had the sharper finish when the game tightened.
St. Louis pointed directly to puck management afterward. “You can’t turn pucks over against that team,” he said. “You’ve got to keep the puck moving, go get it. They reload fast. It’s a well-oiled machine.”
Montreal’s home-opener record now stands at 62 wins, 30 losses, 15 ties and two defeats beyond regulation. The club has scored 373 goals and allowed 260 in those games, with 14 shutout wins and five times being blanked at home.
Cournoyer’s No. 12 was another opening-night thread. His 15 goals in Canadiens home openers remain a franchise high, part of 30 points in 15 such games. He said the current group understands the weight of expectations after last season’s playoff run: the city is no longer merely hopeful; it expects results.
