montrealgazette.com
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Captain Nick Suzuki scored two goals and added an assist in a 7-3 romp for the Canadiens (30-17-7) over the Colorado Avalanche (35-8-9), dressed in Quebec Nordiques sweaters, at the Bell Centre on Thursday.
Montreal returned the favour after conceding a touchdown and extra point the last time both teams faced off. It was the team’s last home game before the coming Olympic break.
Jakub Dobes started his second consecutive game and extended his season record to 17-5-3 with a 26-save performance.
The Avalanche remain atop the NHL standings by a healthy margin, but they’ve gone 2-4-2 in their last eight games.
The Canadiens opened scoring less than a minute into the game. Noah Dobson scored his 10th of the season. The blue liner has reached that plateau his last five seasons.
Classique DobsonNoah’s A̶r̶k̶ art#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/y6kCJNkX23— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 30, 2026
It didn’t take long for the Avalanche to draw even. Brock Nelson scored his 28th of the season on what ended up being Dobes’ only real blemish on the night.
This release was disgusting 🤮 pic.twitter.com/0WXVnmjtna— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 30, 2026
Suzuki then took over with two goals in under two minutes. One on the power play, followed by another short-handed. The potent Avalanche have shockingly given up nine short-handed goals on the season — 3-1 Habs after 20 minutes.
Oui bonjour? C’est Nick!Knock, knock, who’s there? Suzy on the doorstep 🚪#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/hyxv9ZroZ0— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 30, 2026
On peut appeler ça un bon début?SHORTY ALERT#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/BzVsgUivME— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 30, 2026
Dobes kept his team in it with the Avalanche pressing in the second period. All three second-period goals were scored in a span of 90 seconds. Jake Evans followed up his overtime heroics on Tuesday against Vegas by picking goalie Scott Wedgewood’s pocket to make it 4-1.
Toujours être vigilant lorsque Jake est dans les parages Got eeeeem#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/SCY17rtvlB— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 30, 2026
Kirby Dach is looking more and more like his old self. He scored his first goal since returning from injury on a bank shot to give Montreal a 5-1 advantage.
Il a plus d’un tour dans son sac, ce DachThought they said you can’t teach an old Dach new tricks?#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/WlU7rfr1TR— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 30, 2026
The Avalanche kept it close before the end of the period. Dobes made the initial acrobatic save, but Jiri Kiviranta was perfectly placed to pot home the rebound to put Colorado within three goals.
A step in the right direction. pic.twitter.com/ATRmDD2nUx— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 30, 2026
The Avalanche are a dominant third-period team, and they made Habs fans sweat early in the frame when Ross Colton beat Dobes in front after Lane Hutson blew a tire.
Back in the lineup and back on the scoresheet 🚨 pic.twitter.com/fS7GTzWo68— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 30, 2026
The Canadiens kept responding, and just over a minute later, Alexandre Carrier scored on a two-on-one, thanks to a Dach block, to reinstate Montreal’s three-goal lead.
Gars de Québec contre Québec!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/zr37nsD7FZ— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 30, 2026
Right before the midway point of the third, Juraj Slafkovsky made it a laugher by scoring his 20th goal of the season — 7-3 final in the latest chapter of the Battle of Quebec, sort of.
SON 20e DE LA SAISON20TH OF THE SZN#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/4OeOx94rmK— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 30, 2026
Even though the Habs put up seven goals on the best team in the league, Dobes made the necessary stops when called upon. His breakaway save on Sam Girard in the second period might’ve been the game’s turning point. A one-goal game at the midpoint could’ve changed the entire complexion of the night. Instead, Dobes stretched out the pad and Evans scored six minutes later.
Jakub Dobes connaît un bon match jusqu’ici devant la cage du 🔵⚪️🔴 pic.twitter.com/ftVyaeE1mF— TVA Sports (@TVASports) January 30, 2026
That’s why, despite a pedestrian 2.96 goals against average and .890 save percentage, the Liveblog commenters on the
Hockey Inside Out YouTube livestream
feel pretty comfortable with the acrobatic Czech in goal. With three games left until the break, why not ride it out with the hot hand and let Samuel Montembeault work with new goalie coach Marco Marciano on straightening out for the stretch drive?
It was a strange night for Cole Caufield, who was held pointless in just 12:49. His six-game goal scoring streak came to an end.
The Liveblog commenters held their collective breath after Kaiden Guhle raced back to dressing room clutching his shoulder after a hit by Josh Manson, but he returned and laid a huge hit of his own not long after. Guhle and his fellow oft-injured teammate Dach finally looked like themselves on the ice after such long layoffs. The commenters hope Dach proved he’s ready to supplant Alexandre Texier on the top line. The French forward has only one assist in his last six games.
Dach was Hockey Stat Cards’ forward of the night.
NHL GameScore Impact Card for Montreal Canadiens on 2026-01-29: pic.twitter.com/3d6lJROTmC— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) January 30, 2026
Here’s what the commenters had to say during the livestream.
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