Bell Centre Showdown: Montreal Canadiens Face Off Against Pittsburgh Penguins

As the Montreal Canadiens gear up to host the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre, fans are eager to see if their team can bounce back from recent performances. The Canadiens have had a mixed bag of results in their last few outings, and this upcoming game presents an opportunity for redemption.

On December 8th, the Canadiens faced a tough loss against the Los Angeles Kings with a scoreless effort that ended 4-0. Despite outshooting their opponents and winning 60 percent of faceoffs, they were unable to convert on any of their powerplay opportunities. This lack of scoring punch has been a concern for the team as they've struggled to capitalize on chances.

However, there was a glimmer of hope in their game against the Nashville Predators on December 11th. Although they lost in a close contest with a final score of 2-1, Montreal showed resilience by maintaining an impressive faceoff win percentage at over 55 percent and generating more shots than Nashville. Their goaltending also held strong with a save percentage just shy of 94 percent.

The most recent match-up for MTL before facing PIT was against Buffalo Sabres on December 10th where they secured victory through a shootout after ending overtime tied at two apiece. The Canadiens demonstrated tenacity by overcoming a two-goal deficit in the third period and eventually clinching it during shootouts.

The Penguins come into this match-up as formidable opponents who will test Montreal's resolve. They've shown consistent playmaking abilities throughout their games and will challenge MTL's defense and goaltending which has been less than stellar recently except for some bright spots like against Nashville.

Montreal needs to focus on improving its powerplay effectiveness which currently stands as an area needing significant improvement based on past performances. With only one goal from five opportunities against Nashville, converting these chances could be crucial in securing wins moving forward.

For fans looking forward to seeing whether Montreal can turn things around or if Pittsburgh will continue its strong play, all eyes will be on Bell Centre come game day. The scheduled puck drop is set for December 14th at local time (converts to Eastern Time). Fans won't want to miss this clash which can be watched live via SportsNet PT channel number 659 or streamed online through ESPN+.