標籤: Momentum

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories and content you may have missed on Friday.

montreal canadiens news

It was another even game, at least on the scoreboard. Thanks to an overtime goal from Len Hutson, the Habs emerged with a 2–1 win and a 2–1 series lead. All things considered, the scoreline was a little favorable towards the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team that generated a fair amount of high-danger scoring chances at 5v5. [Canadiens Highlights: Hutson Plays The Hero In Big Win]

Hutson’s game-winning goal was so good it’s worth watching twice.

lane hutson is yours @Energizer Overtime Hero! 🔵⚪️🔴 #Stanley Cup pic.twitter.com/nJCmLD0jod

– NHL (@NHL) 25 April 2026

It should also be noted that Hutson somehow managed to achieve his goal. This may seem arrogant to some, but we all know that’s not Hutson’s style. He is confident in his game and has the results to back it up.

Lane Hutson joked to his teammates before OT that he felt like he had the game-winner tonight.

According to Jaden Struble, Lane just let out a “I think I got it tonight” and went out and scored GWG.

#48 to 6/5 Competitiveness pic.twitter.com/4o2NV82KlW

– Marco D’Amico (@mndamico) 25 April 2026

Captain Nick Suzuki’s dry humor was at play after the thrilling win.

#hubs Nick Suzuki on Lane Hutson’s bomb from the overtime point: “I didn’t think he could hit it that hard…” the captain said with a smile.

– Priyantha Amrith (@HabsInHighHeels) 25 April 2026

While the first line struggles to generate much offense at even strength, Kirby Dach has done a great job in leading the Canadiens to wins, including a two-point effort on Friday night. It was one of his best games in a Habs uniform since joining the team in 2022.

Cole Caufield at tomorrow’s Habs playoff home game:

“We watched Game 3 at the Bell Center on Friday night, everyone was just smiling from ear to ear, like…

‘Fuck me. That would be madness.’

“We know tomorrow night is going to be an absolute blast.” pic.twitter.com/HUGRjxoKqj

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 23 April 2026

It’s very easy to dismiss the play of Arbor Czekaj and Jaden Struble on the third pairing, but it would be intellectually dishonest to ignore the fact that they lead all NHL defensemen in expected goal share. Yes, it is easy to play on the third pair, but it is never easy to control more than 80% of the expected goals. [Canadiens Need Better Results From Top Four]

Xhekaj and Struble currently rank first and second in xGF%.

Yes, the use is easier on the third pair, but it is also true that they have been excellent.

If those numbers were that easy to produce, they wouldn’t be several times ahead of the entire NHL.

This is a very good pair. pic.twitter.com/tCqzFUlQ0x

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 25 April 2026

Ivan Demidov sat down with Elliotte Friedman to discuss his rookie season with the Habs, and how they quickly became part of their family.

Sportsknot Network

There was no chance that the New Jersey Devils were going to let Sunny Mehta slip through their fingers. Sunny Mehta is eight days into his Devils tenure and has already endeared himself to the New Jersey organization and fans in his introductory press conference. Yet, just nine days ago, there was real interest and possibility that Mehta could be the next man in charge of the Toronto Maple Leafs. [New Jersey Devils]

A little number 86 flying around the ice playing with the puck on his stick? That must be Jack Hughes, right? Actually, it’s Buffalo Sabers rookie, Noah Ostlund. When the Sabers learned they were losing Josh Norris to injury in Game 3, it caused a bit of panic. [Buffalo Sabres]

There’s no love lost between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators during the Round One matchup in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and after the events of Game 3, it’s safe to say that the general feeling of dislike has grown even deeper after Jake Sanderson left the game following a check to the head of Taylor Hall. [Ottawa Senators]

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes has been hard at work in the college basketball transfer portal this month, securing three commitments just days after leading the program to the Elite Eight. Now it appears volunteers are on the verge of a fourth large influx this month.

On3.com’s Joe Tipton reported ahead of wing Jalen Harrelson’s visit to Knoxville on Tuesday that Tennessee is “accelerating this recruiting” and momentum is building toward a potential commitment.

RELATED: Tennessee volunteers gaining momentum for SG in portal

Haralson, a 6-foot-6 forward, is rated as a four-star player this cycle by the college basketball transfer portal Rivals and On3.com. He is viewed as the second-best small forward on the market and the 39th-best player available this offseason.

Before this season, Rivals ranked him the 31st-best high school player in the 2025 recruiting class. It was the same class as five-star recruit Nate Ament, a late commit to Tennessee last year who is now expected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

RELATED: Tennessee in mix for top player in CBB transfer portal

As a freshman, he started 23 of 27 games for the Fighting Irish. Harrelson averaged 16.2 points, 4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. He doesn’t offer much in the way of a perimeter scoring threat, making just 5 of 25 from beyond the arc in his freshman season, but he got to the free-throw line 181 times (6.7 per game) and shot 67.4 percent of his free-throw attempts.

As he gained more experience as a freshman, Haralson’s play continued to improve. While Notre Dame went 6–13 to end his season, Haralson averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during that span, posted a 52.7 effective field goal percentage, and he averaged 7.4 free-throw attempts per contest.

RELATED: Insider sheds light on Tennessee’s approach to transfer portal

For Tennessee, he could potentially fill the void left by Ament’s expected departure. His commitment will be the fourth commitment for volunteers this month, coming on the heels of or during the trips to Knoxville.

Entering Wednesday, Tennessee’s transfer portal commitment class included Belmont shooting guard Tyler Lundblad, California guard Dai Dai Ames and Loyola big man Miles Rubin. The Volunteers are still actively searching for several guards, including a point guard to replace Ja’Coby Gillespie.

RELATED: Tennessee Volunteers to spend big bucks on basketball

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Tennessee Volunteers have been one of the most active programs so far in the college basketball transfer portal, signing three key players. With Rick Barnes and the coaching staff getting the nod of an even bigger NIL wallet this offseason, another change could be on the horizon.

On3.com’s Joe Tipton reports that former VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. is set to visit Knoxville on Wednesday. Both the Volunteers and Kansas Jayhawks are reportedly “building positive momentum” with the 6-foot-3 sophomore guard.

RELATED: Tennessee Volunteers spring game insiders name 2 standouts

Hill is rated as a four-star transfer recruit this cycle by On3.com and Rivals. He is ranked sixth among shooting guards and 25th nationally among current players in the college basketball transfer portal.

Last season, the 20-year-old guard earned numerous honors in the Atlantic 10 Conference as a breakout player. He made the first-team All-Atlantic 10, was named the conference’s Most Improved Player and earned Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year.

RELATED: Tennessee in mix for top player in CBB transfer portal

In three games in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, he averaged 17.3 points and 3 assists per game, while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Although he was not an effective perimeter shooter at 28.6 percent, he averaged 1.3 three-pointers per game during the tournament.

They then had an outstanding performance in VCU’s first-round upset of the North Carolina Tar Heels. In the 82–78 overtime win, Hill scored 34 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, shooting 7 of 10 from beyond the arc with a 71.7 percent effective field goal percentage.

RELATED: Insider sheds light on Tennessee’s approach to transfer portal

As Tipton said, this is important any time a player visits campus. This is one reason why Tennessee is viewed as an emerging threat to get a commitment from Hill by the end of the weekend.

If Hill commits, he will join an incoming class that includes four-star big man Miles Rubin (Loyola), four-star point guard Dai Dai Ames (California) and four-star shooting guard Tyler Lundblad (Belmont). Hill will likely push Lundblad into a role off the bench.

RELATED: Tennessee Volunteers to spend big bucks on basketball

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Although there isn’t much to like about the Philadelphia 76ers’ overall loss to the San Antonio Spurs, one of the very minor bright spots was the play of former two-way contract forward Jabari Walker, who scored 20 points off the bench in just 19 minutes of action.

Picking up the slack for a team without Joel Embiid, Paul George and, for a portion of the game, VJ Edgecombe, who was ejected from the game after a hard foul from Carter Bryant in the second quarter, Walker did the job for a 76ers team that desperately needed it. Any To score a bucket or two, hitting two of his five shots from beyond the arc and seven of his ten total shots from the field, along with four rebounds, two assists and a steal.

The only 76ers player to finish a game with a positive plus/minus, Walker was asked about his surprisingly huge game after the contest and explained that he would love to get back on the court and Build on the momentum they created.

Walker declared, “100% if it were up to me, I wouldn’t want to sleep and would be right back there right now.” “So I’m just separating the days with eight hours of rest and then think of it as a continuation. Obviously, it’s a different team, but the mentality doesn’t change. Just let the days blend together and make it to tomorrow.”

A proven striver who worked his way up to a standard NBA contract after starting the season on a two-way deal. Walker’s 20-point performance was by far a season-high, with his next best game coming against the Milwaukee Bucks in December.

Will Walker be able to step up this game and become the 76ers’ new sixth man as Quentin Grimes has gone down offensively? maybe notBut gosh, if he could do that, it would pay massive dividends for a team that is in desperate need of at least one bench player who can score regularly.

“Mentalities don’t change.”

Jabari Walker is ready to get back out there as he finished Tuesday night’s game with 20 points and 6 rebounds. | @fultonbank pic.twitter.com/bktERperoS

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 4 March 2026

For fans who are hoping that Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones will be the main event of the UFC White House card in June, a new rumor brings great news.

In a few months, the UFC will be able to accomplish something that even the NFL, NBA, and MLB have never done, by holding an event on the White House lawn. While company owner Dana White has claimed that the event will be a financial loss, the history it creates will live on for generations.

Ever since news broke about this unique event, there has been a lot of speculation about the fights on the card. Company veterans such as Jon Jones and Conor McGregor have made it known that they want to be included on the card, and existing pound-for-pound talents such as Ilya Topuria, Islam Makhachev and Alex Pereira have been linked to the show.

Still, the promotion hasn’t said much about who will be in it. Most fans are expecting a super-fight between former heavyweight champion Jones and two-division champion Pereira. However, White has shown opposition to placing “Bones” on the card. However, he may have changed his mind.

Perera vs Jones card ‘not dead’ in White House

According to veteran MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, there have been recent talks about headlining Pereira vs. Jones at a mega-event in June, and the idea is “not dead.” However, while he claims it is still possible, he admits he is “not hearing a lot of positive momentum” towards it being finalized.

Speculation about Pereira moving up to heavyweight and headlining the White House card intensified when the light heavyweight champion vacated the title this week. The move – which was made by Makhachev and Topuria last year – often prompts a change in weight.

If Pereira vs. Jones doesn’t happen, Helwani claims the UFC plans to have the Brazilian face Cyril Gane in a matchup for the interim heavyweight crown. The current champion, Tom Aspinall, is trying to recover from serious eye injuries he suffered in last year’s title defense against Gane.

Helwani says the former 205-pound champion wants to fight Jones, but if the booking doesn’t work out, the plan is to make a run at becoming the first three-division champion in UFC history. Either way, “A big fight is coming for Alex Pereira,” he said.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories and content you may have missed on Monday.

montreal canadiens news

Owen Beck is ranked No. 6 in our annual top-20 rankings. His methodical play and cerebral approach give him the inside track when it comes to earning a job in the NHL. [Canadiens Top 20 Prospects – No.6 Cerebral Owen Beck]

All things considered, Juraj Slafkowski enjoyed another major Olympic tournament. With four goals and four assists in six games, Slafkovsky has contributed an impressive 11 goals and four assists in 13 games for the Olympics.

goat pic.twitter.com/wrtfoAMYT9

– The Habitant (@the_habitant) 23 February 2026

Prospect Alexander Zarovsky scored his 14th goal of the season, another powerplay marker.

While Nick Suzuki was certainly disappointed with Team Canada’s silver medal, Oliver Kapanen will arrive in Montreal having won his final game at the Olympics, which is a huge accomplishment for the 22-year-old centre.

Oliver Kapanen is on his IG:

“🥉Olympics” pic.twitter.com/2EM8OdZx2W

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 23 February 2026

Arbor Zekaj officially has bragging rights when it comes to the heaviest shot on the team.

Arbor Zekaj wins Hardest Shot contest at Habs skills competition with 107.3 mph slapper 🚀

pic.twitter.com/lYr0XKpNys

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 22 February 2026

Surprisingly, or not, Lane Hutson was declared the fastest skater on the team.

Len Hutson wins fastest skater event at Habs skills competition

pic.twitter.com/cYSHhRZ6qB

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 22 February 2026

Sportsknot Network

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes scored a golden goal in overtime Sunday to lead Team USA to a 2-1 victory over Canada. Whatever criticism he faced before the Olympics is officially over. [New Jersey Devils]

Seven of the Florida Panthers’ NHL-high 10 players won medals at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics — not counting Bill Zito, who brought almost all of them to the Sunshine State. [Florida Panthers]

Macklin Celebrini was probably the story of the men’s ice hockey tournament at the Olympics, until Connor Hellebuyck had something to say about it. [San Jose Sharks]

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont