Can Bell Centre Energize the Canadiens Against Capitals?

As the Montreal Canadiens gear up to face the Washington Capitals at the Bell Centre, fans are eager to see if their team can continue their recent performance trends. The Canadiens have shown a mix of outcomes in their past few games, with a notable victory against the Blackhawks where they scored five goals and demonstrated solid defensive play with 23 blocked shots and a save percentage rounding to 100 percent.

However, consistency has been an issue. In a tight game against the Wild, despite scoring three goals and winning over half of their faceoffs, they fell short in overtime. This was followed by another overtime game against the Jets where they managed to secure a win with two powerplay goals contributing significantly.

The upcoming match presents an opportunity for Montreal to capitalize on home-ice advantage at Bell Centre. Their ability to convert on powerplays could be crucial as it has been instrumental in recent wins. Additionally, goaltending remains strong; saving every shot faced during even strength play in two out of three past games is no small feat.

Defensively, Montreal has been aggressive with hits but will need to maintain discipline as penalties have varied across games. Winning faceoffs will also be key – it's an area where they've had success recently but must strive for consistency.

With these analytics in mind, fans should expect an intense battle as both teams vie for dominance on the ice. The Canadiens' performance at even strength and special teams could very well dictate this game's outcome.

Catch all the action live from Bell Centre on February 18th; puck drop is scheduled for local time (00:00 UTC). Fans can tune into ESPN+ nationally or MNMT channel 642 if following from away territories.