| Regular season results |
| No. |
R |
Date |
Score |
Opponent |
Record |
| 1 |
W |
October 5, 2005 |
2–1 |
@ Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
1–0–0 |
| 2 |
W |
October 6, 2005 |
4–3 OT |
@ New York Rangers (2005–06) |
2–0–0 |
| 3 |
W |
October 8, 2005 |
5–4 |
@ Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
3–0–0 |
| 4 |
L |
October 11, 2005 |
2–4 |
Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
3–1–0 |
| 5 |
W |
October 12, 2005 |
2–0 |
@ Atlanta Thrashers (2005–06) |
4–1–0 |
| 6 |
L |
October 15, 2005 |
2–3 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
4–2–0 |
| 7 |
W |
October 18, 2005 |
4–3 |
Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
5–2–0 |
| 8 |
W |
October 22, 2005 |
4–3 |
New York Islanders (2005–06) |
6–2–0 |
| 9 |
W |
October 25, 2005 |
3–2 OT |
Philadelphia Flyers (2005–06) |
7–2–0 |
| 10 |
L |
October 27, 2005 |
3–4 OT |
@ Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
7–2–1 |
| 11 |
L |
October 29, 2005 |
2–5 |
New York Rangers (2005–06) |
7–3–1 |
| 12 |
W |
October 31, 2005 |
4–1 |
@ New York Rangers (2005–06) |
8–3–1 |
| 13 |
W |
November 1, 2005 |
5–4 OT |
Florida Panthers (2005–06) |
9–3–1 |
| 14 |
W |
November 4, 2005 |
3–2 |
@ Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
10–3–1 |
| 15 |
W |
November 5, 2005 |
3–2 |
Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
11–3–1 |
| 16 |
W |
November 8, 2005 |
3–2 |
Tampa Bay Lightning (2005–06) |
12–3–1 |
| 17 |
L |
November 10, 2005 |
2–3 SO |
@ Pittsburgh Penguins (2005–06) |
12–3–2 |
| 18 |
L |
November 12, 2005 |
4–5 OT |
Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
12–3–3 |
| 19 |
W |
November 15, 2005 |
4–3 OT |
Florida Panthers (2005–06) |
13–3–3 |
| 20 |
L |
November 18, 2005 |
3–5 |
@ New Jersey Devils (2005–06) |
13–4–3 |
| 21 |
L |
November 19, 2005 |
1–5 |
Washington Capitals (2005–06) |
13–5–3 |
| 22 |
W |
November 22, 2005 |
3–2 SO |
Atlanta Thrashers (2005–06) |
14–5–3 |
| 23 |
L |
November 25, 2005 |
1–3 |
@ Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
14–6–3 |
| 24 |
L |
November 26, 2005 |
3–4 OT |
@ Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
14–6–4 |
| 25 |
L |
November 29, 2005 |
0–4 |
@ Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
14–7–4 |
| 26 |
L |
December 1, 2005 |
2–3 OT |
Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
14–7–5 |
| 27 |
W |
December 3, 2005 |
3–2 |
Los Angeles Kings (2005–06) |
15–7–5 |
| 28 |
L |
December 10, 2005 |
3–5 |
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (2005–06) |
15–8–5 |
| 29 |
W |
December 13, 2005 |
5–2 |
Phoenix Coyotes (2005–06) |
16–8–5 |
| 30 |
L |
December 15, 2005 |
3–5 |
@ Edmonton Oilers (2005–06) |
16–9–5 |
| 31 |
L |
December 17, 2005 |
3–4 OT |
@ Minnesota Wild (2005–06) |
16–9–6 |
| 32 |
W |
December 20, 2005 |
4–3 SO |
Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
17–9–6 |
| 33 |
L |
December 23, 2005 |
2–4 |
@ Washington Capitals (2005–06) |
17–10–6 |
| 34 |
L |
December 26, 2005 |
0–4 |
@ Atlanta Thrashers (2005–06) |
17–11–6 |
| 35 |
W |
December 28, 2005 |
4–3 |
@ Tampa Bay Lightning (2005–06) |
18–11–6 |
| 36 |
L |
December 30, 2005 |
1–2 |
@ Florida Panthers (2005–06) |
18–12–6 |
| 37 |
L |
December 31, 2005 |
3–5 |
@ Carolina Hurricanes (2005–06) |
18–13–6 |
| 38 |
L |
January 3, 2006 |
4–6 |
Pittsburgh Penguins (2005–06) |
18–14–6 |
| 39 |
L |
January 5, 2006 |
4–5 |
@ New Jersey Devils (2005–06) |
18–15–6 |
| 40 |
W |
January 7, 2006 |
4–1 |
Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
19–15–6 |
| 41 |
L |
January 11, 2006 |
1–2 |
@ Colorado Avalanche (2005–06) |
19–16–6 |
| 42 |
W |
January 14, 2006 |
6–2 |
San Jose Sharks (2005–06) |
20–16–6 |
| 43 |
W |
January 16, 2006 |
4–2 |
Dallas Stars (2005–06) |
21–16–6 |
| 44 |
L |
January 19, 2006 |
2–3 |
@ Calgary Flames (2005–06) |
21–17–6 |
| 45 |
L |
January 21, 2006 |
2–6 |
@ Vancouver Canucks (2005–06) |
21–18–6 |
| 46 |
L |
January 23, 2006 |
3–7 |
@ Carolina Hurricanes (2005–06) |
21–19–6 |
| 47 |
W |
January 25, 2006 |
5–3 |
@ Philadelphia Flyers (2005–06) |
22–19–6 |
| 48 |
L |
January 26, 2006 |
0–3 |
@ Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
22–20–6 |
| 49 |
W |
January 28, 2006 |
4–3 OT |
@ Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
23–20–6 |
| 50 |
L |
January 31, 2006 |
2–8 |
Carolina Hurricanes (2005–06) |
23–21–6 |
| 51 |
L |
February 2, 2006 |
1–3 |
@ Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
23–22–6 |
| 52 |
W |
February 4, 2006 |
2–0 |
Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
24–22–6 |
| 53 |
W |
February 5, 2006 |
5–0 |
Philadelphia Flyers (2005–06) |
25–22–6 |
| 54 |
L |
February 7, 2006 |
2–3 OT |
Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
25–22–7 |
| 55 |
W |
February 9, 2006 |
3–2 OT |
@ Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
26–22–7 |
| 56 |
L |
February 11, 2006 |
1–2 SO |
Atlanta Thrashers (2005–06) |
26–22–8 |
| 57 |
W |
February 28, 2006 |
5–3 |
@ New York Islanders (2005–06) |
27–22–8 |
| 58 |
W |
March 2, 2006 |
1–0 |
@ Florida Panthers (2005–06) |
28–22–8 |
| 59 |
W |
March 4, 2006 |
6–2 |
@ Tampa Bay Lightning (2005–06) |
29–22–8 |
| 60 |
L |
March 6, 2006 |
4–5 SO |
@ Philadelphia Flyers (2005–06) |
29–22–9 |
| 61 |
L |
March 7, 2006 |
3–5 |
@ Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
29–23–9 |
| 62 |
W |
March 9, 2006 |
3–0 |
@ Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
30–23–9 |
| 63 |
W |
March 11, 2006 |
1–0 |
New York Rangers (2005–06) |
31–23–9 |
| 64 |
L |
March 13, 2006 |
1–2 |
Tampa Bay Lightning (2005–06) |
31–24–9 |
| 65 |
L |
March 16, 2006 |
1–5 |
Carolina Hurricanes (2005–06) |
31–25–9 |
| 66 |
L |
March 18, 2006 |
4–5 |
Pittsburgh Penguins (2005–06) |
31–26–9 |
| 67 |
W |
March 20, 2006 |
4–2 |
@ Washington Capitals (2005–06) |
32–26–9 |
| 68 |
L |
March 21, 2006 |
1–3 |
@ New York Islanders (2005–06) |
32–27–9 |
| 69 |
W |
March 23, 2006 |
5–1 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
33–27–9 |
| 70 |
W |
March 25, 2006 |
6–2 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–06) |
34–27–9 |
| 71 |
W |
March 26, 2006 |
6–5 |
@ Pittsburgh Penguins (2005–06) |
35–27–9 |
| 72 |
W |
March 28, 2006 |
2–0 |
New York Islanders (2005–06) |
36–27–9 |
| 73 |
W |
March 30, 2006 |
3–2 OT |
Washington Capitals (2005–06) |
37–27–9 |
| 74 |
W |
April 1, 2006 |
2–0 |
Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
38–27–9 |
| 75 |
W |
April 4, 2006 |
5–3 |
Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
39–27–9 |
| 76 |
W |
April 6, 2006 |
5–3 |
@ Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
40–27–9 |
| 77 |
L |
April 8, 2006 |
2–3 |
New Jersey Devils (2005–06) |
40–28–9 |
| 78 |
W |
April 10, 2006 |
3–2 |
Ottawa Senators (2005–06) |
41–28–9 |
| 79 |
L |
April 12, 2006 |
1–3 |
@ Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
41–29–9 |
| 80 |
W |
April 13, 2006 |
4–3 |
@ Boston Bruins (2005–06) |
42–29–9 |
| 81 |
L |
April 15, 2006 |
2–4 |
Buffalo Sabres (2005–06) |
42–30–9 |
| 82 |
L |
April 18, 2006 |
3–4 |
New Jersey Devils (2005–06) |
42–31–9 |
The Canadiens placed 3rd in the Northeast division, and seventh in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens played the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the first round and lost four games to two. The Canadiens were winning 2-0 in the series when Saku Koivu sustained a serious injury to his left eye. Hurricanes forward Justin Williams attempted to lift Koivu's stick but instead struck him in the eye. Koivu was rushed to the hospital, where he would remain overnight and for the remainder of the playoffs. Koivu remained out of the lineup for the rest of the series and underwent surgery to repair a detached retina during the off-season.