Flames HC Warned About Canadiens Secret Weapon Before Loss

Ryan Huska knew what his Calgary Flames were facing. The head coach warned his team before their game about the Montreal Canadiens' aggressive style and their ability to establish a forecheck that creates problems for opponents.

His warnings proved prophetic. The Canadiens dominated Calgary 4-1 at Bell Centre, scoring three goals in the second period and controlling play for most of the night. Montreal improved to 24-13-6 while extending their strong recent play with five wins in their last seven games.

Huska spoke glowingly about the Canadiens before the puck dropped, calling them one of the more exciting teams around the league. But he also identified a specific element of their game that Calgary needed to be prepared to handle.

Dump and Chase System

The Flames coach highlighted Montreal's willingness to dump the puck into the offensive zone and establish pressure through their forecheck. "Maybe one thing people don't know is that they do put the puck in the zone a lot, so they dump the puck a lot and establish a forecheck," Huska explained.

That style requires opposing teams to execute under pressure, something Calgary struggled to do throughout the night. "That's something we have to be ready for, is being able to execute under pressure tonight," Huska said.

The coach knew his team faced a significant challenge based on what the Canadiens did during their previous visit to Calgary. "They were good in Calgary when they were there," Huska noted, showing respect for Montreal's road performance.

Playing Good Hockey

Huska's assessment of Montreal extended beyond just their forecheck. He acknowledged the overall quality of their play heading into the matchup. "It's a team that's playing some good hockey right now," the Flames coach said.

That evaluation proved accurate. Alexandre Texier had a goal and two assists in his first career three-point game, while Lane Hutson and Oliver Kapanen also scored. Cole Caufield added a goal and an assist as Montreal's offensive depth showed through.

Calgary Flames coach Ryan Huska today on the Habs:

“They're one of the more exciting teams around the league. Maybe one thing people don't know is that they do put the puck (in the zone) a lot, so they dump the puck a lot and establish a forecheck. That's something we have to be… pic.twitter.com/fnizjW5rit
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) January 7, 2026

The Canadiens came into the game having just finished a grueling seven-game road trip where they posted a 4-1-2 record. That stretch included an overtime victory in Dallas and a 7-5 win in Carolina, showing they could win games in different ways.

Calgary's Struggles Continue

The loss dropped Calgary to 19-19-4 on the season and continued their struggles on the road, where they've posted just a 6-13-2 record. Huska acknowledged after the game that his team hurt themselves with individual mistakes at inopportune times.

Montreal's ability to dump the puck and win battles along the boards created sustained offensive zone time that Calgary couldn't match. The Canadiens outshot the Flames 35-29 and controlled possession for long stretches.

Huska's pre-game warnings about Montreal's forecheck style were spot-on, but knowing what's coming and being able to stop it are two different things. The Canadiens executed their game plan perfectly, while Calgary couldn't handle the pressure.

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