The Montreal Canadiens meet the Florida Panthers for the third time this season at Sunrise on Thursday, and if they want a very different result from the previous two they will need to silence opposing team captain Aleksander Barkov.
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The task promises to be complicated for the men of head coach Martin St-Louis, because the Finn has had a field day at the expense of the Habs since the start of his career in 2013/2014. In 29 games, he recorded 22 goals and 16 assists for 38 points, adding a +14 difference.
The current season is no exception as Barkov has so far recorded seven points against Bleu Blanc Rouge. He scored three goals and two assists in the 7-2 win on the occasion of CH’s last visit on December 29. It’s also one of 19 five-point or higher harvests recorded in the National League in 2022-2023. The youngest was Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau, who scored two goals and three assists in Tuesday’s 6-5 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks.
For his part, Buffalo Sabers’ Tage Thompson stands out with his two six-point performances on October 31 and December 7, the only ones to date at Bettman Circuit.
Another skater has five points against the Canadiens this season, Jeff Skinner in a 7-2 win for the Sabers at Bell Center on Nov. 22.
Barkov has 56 points, including 17 goals, in 53 games since the start of the regular season. His family will return to Montreal one more time on March 30th. Their first visit on January 19 ended in a 6-2 win.