The average hockey fan might not know this, but the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens share some history together. These two teams once met in a semifinal matchup, where Marc-Andre Fleury would match wits with Carey Price. It was an epic battle of two (potential) Hall of Fame goaltenders, with only one standing tall.
Sadly for Golden Knights fans, that would be Price, who'd lead the upstart Canadiens to a surprise Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2021. They would emerge victorious over Fleury and the Golden Knights, 4-2. That was despite Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty leading a strong Vegas attack. Sometimes, life throws obstacles at you that you can't figure out.
This also applies to trades, when the Golden Knights acquired Max Pacioretty from the Canadiens for Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a 2019 second-round draft pick. Pacioretty did have a successful career with Vegas, scoring 97 goals and 97 assists in four seasons. However, Suzuki is evolving into his own, scoring 115 goals and 190 assists in six seasons.
But enough about the postseason and trades. Yes, the Canadiens have bested the Golden Knights in a rare feat. That's what franchises who've won 24 Stanley Cups do. They make big moves to solidify their franchise, ranging from Maurice Richard to Jean Beliveau.
Granted, that's not the case with their current team, for they're in last place in the Atlantic Division (7-10-2, 16 points). That's especially true with the Golden Knights in first place in the Pacific Division (26 points). But let's look at the regular season side of things for a minute. How has Vegas done against this legendary sports franchise with points on the line?
The Vegas Golden Knights have a 7-2-3 regular season record against the Montreal Canadiens
The Vegas Golden Knights might've struggled against the Montreal Canadiens in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. They might've also been burned in trades in the long term. However, they can take solace in knowing they've gotten 17 points in 12 matchups against the Canadiens.
That includes a current six-game winning streak, where the Golden Knights have scored more than three goals in all but one game. As a result, they have a 7-2-3 lifetime record against the "Original Six" franchise.
The largest margin of victory was three goals, achieved on November 6, 2021 (a 5-2 victory at Montreal) and February 8, 2018 (a 6-3 victory at T-Mobile Arena). Surprisingly, all of Vegas's regular season losses to the 24-time Stanley Cup winners have been by a goal, with three games lost in the overtime/shootout period. Overall, the Golden Knights have a 50-43 goal advantage over the legendary franchise.
Golden Knights fans can take solace in knowing they have the upper hand in the regular season against Montreal. Sure, the blueblood hockey team won the Nick Suzuki trade and bested Vegas in 2021. However, you need something to feel good about, especially in these times. Getting the upper hand on the all-time regular season series is one of those things.