“Our least favorite team”: Arber Xhekaj shares blunt message ahead of Canadiens' crucial game against division rivals

Arber Xhekaj made it clear that the Ottawa Senators are the Canadiens' biggest rivals. The Senators are sitting in the fourth position with 77 points, six clear of the Canadiens at 5th.

When asked about the rivalry, Xhekaj said Ottawa is the team he dislikes the most.

"Yeah, big time! [They're] probably our least favorite team, I would say for sure," Xhekaj said, as quoted by Priyanta Emirith.

Montreal has won both games against Ottawa this season. However, the Senators have won eight of the last ten meetings. Ottawa is on a six-game winning streak, while Montreal has a 7-1-2 record in their last ten games.

Goaltending will be important as Samuel Montembeault has a 2-3-0 record against Ottawa. Meanwhile, Anton Forsberg has a perfect 6-0-0 record against Montreal. The Senators are slightly ahead in the standings, but the Canadiens have played with urgency.

Nick Suzuki will be the Canadiens main offensive player with 18 points in 27 games against Ottawa, and Brendan Gallagher, who has also performed well in past matchups. On Ottawa’s side, Claude Giroux has 38 points in 49 games, while Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson have also played well against Montreal.

Arber Xhekaj clashed with teammate Michael Pezzetta

Arber Xhekaj made these comments after a heated practice session where he clashed with teammate Michael Pezzetta. Anthony Martineau reported the tense moment between Xhekaj and Pezzetta at practice.

Xhekaj slashed Pezzetta’s gloves during a breakaway, which upset Pezzetta. In the next drill, Pezzetta responded by hitting Xhekaj. The two players got close along the boards and a coach quickly stepped in to calm them down.

Patrick Friolet of RDS mentioned that after the exchange, they talked, and Pezzetta smiled before giving Xhekaj a hug. They quickly moved on to prioritize their game against the Ottawa Senators.

Arber Xhekaj talked to the media after practice and made a joke about his exchange with Michael Pezzetta. He said he didn’t like Pezzetta’s mustache that morning.

"I didn't like his mustache this morning! No, seriously, these are intense practices. It's all in good fun and part of the game..." Xhekaj said about his clash with Pezetta. "We'll probably go out for dinner together tonight!"

Montreal Canadiens Head coach Martin St-Louis called it a good sign to have both energy but also balance.