Arber Xhekaj Fans the Flames of the Canadiens-Senators Rivalry Days before the Big Game

Amid intensifying competition for the coveted last playoff spot, Arber Xhekaj is not hiding his feelings about his rival Ottawa Senators, whom he refers to as the Canadiens' "least favorite team." With both teams preparing to do battle in what promises to be an intense match, tension is already palpable on and off the ice.

One must win against the Senators, and Arber Xhekaj holds nothing back talking about the rivalry with Ottawa. The Senators, with 77 points in hand and sitting in fourth- six points above the Canadiens, have had the Canadiens in their recent rivalry with eight wins in their last ten meetings. Montreal has already beaten them twice this season and brings in confidence ahead of this battle.

Per Xhekaj's statements, the Canadiens are on full alert to bridge the gap. "Yeah, big time! [They're] probably our least favorite team, I would say for sure,"And, as the Senators sit on a six-game winning streak, so are the Canadiens with an equally impressive 7-1-2 record in their last ten games.

Goaltending shall be paramount, with Samuel Montembeault making things tougher against Ottawa at 2-3-0. On the other hand, Anton Forsberg stayed perfect at 6-0-0 versus Montreal. Nick Suzuki for the Habs is looking good with his record against Ottawa, while the Senators will depend on Claude Giroux, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson to help keep their edge.
Xhekaj's fiery attitude extended beyond raging words into fights between himself and teammate Michael Pezzetta during practice. The first was triggered by Xhekaj slashing Pezzetta's gloves on a breakaway and it did not sit well with Pezzetta, who retaliated during the next drill with a huge hit that led both to a brief scuffle on the boards, after which a coach had to separate them.

But despite all the dramas, both have rather swiftly moved on from that scenario. Xhekaj even joked later on, saying, "I didn't like his mustache this morning! No, seriously, these are intense practices.” before he added it was all within good fun. The experience was all positive in the eyes of head coach Martin St-Louis, who saw that moment as one featuring that much-needed balancing between competition and chemistry in the group.
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In the wake of the Canadiens preparing to engage the Senators, Arber Xhekaj had heard his share of outbursts during practice that could have been described by others as fiery, indicating just how much passion is behind Montreal's push for the playoffs. The certainly heated battle with Ottawa stands witness to the playoff stakes.