Montreal Canadiens News

For the first time this season Montreal will go back to the same goalie it did the previous game as Samuel Montembeault takes the crease Thursday vs. Los Angeles. The 27-year-old has been the Canadiens' best goaltender by a long stretch due to his 6-3-1 record, 2.66 GAA and .913 SV%. He takes on the red hot Los Angeles Kings, who have won seven of their last eight games and are doing so while being second in the NHL in goals per game (3.86).

Laine was a surprise scratch for Tuesday's game with the Blue Jackets announcing his absence less than 30 minutes before puck drop. Laine's first chance to return to the lineup will be on Long Island on Thursday. He has five goals and two assists in 16 games this season.

After not participating in practice on Monday for maintenance, Dobson will play on Tuesday. Dobson ranks seventh in the league with 25:09 average time-on-ice per game and is sixth amongst all defensemen with 21 points (5G / 16A) in 23 games, recording five (0G / 5A) in his last three alone. He is currently on pace to shatter his career-high 51-point output from the 2021-22 season.

Kahkonen has settled into his role as the Sharks' backup goaltender this season, with three quality starts in his last four outings, and will start on Tuesday against the New York Islanders. Kahkonen is riding consecutive wins for the first time this season and has saved 74 of the last 80 shots he has faced (.925 SV%). The Sharks and Kahkonen face off against the sixth-worst offence in the league (2.78 GF / GP) but are still considerable +279 road underdogs against the Islanders.

Xhekaj has not played since November 16th and has been loaned to Laval (AHL) where he will get some game-action and conditioning before presumably returning to Montreal. In 17 games this season, Xhekaj has three points (1G / 2A), 47 penalty minutes, and 41 hits.

Montembeault has unquestionably been the strong netminder for the Canadiens this season and will get his first opportunity to tend the twine since signing a three-year, $9.45 million contract extension on Friday. In 10 games this season (5-3-1), Montembeault owns half of the Canadiens' 10 victories and is sporting an impressive 2.73 GAA and .910 SV%. Montembeault has been even more impressive lately, posting a 3-1-0 record and .929 SV% in his last five outings. The Canadiens are +134 home underdogs against a Seattle Kraken team that has lost four straight (0-3-1), scoring only seven goals in the process (1.75 GF / GP).

Dobson ranks seventh in the league with 25:09 average time-on-ice per game and did not participate at the Islanders' practice on Monday for maintenance. Dobson is sixth amongst all defensemen with 21 points (5G / 16A) in 23 games, recording five (0G / 5A) in his last three alone. He is currently on pace to shatter his career-high 51-point output from the 2021-22 season.

Newhook left the Canadiens' game Thursday vs. Florida in the third period after 15:14 TOI due to an undisclosed injury and was absent from practice Friday. The 22-year-old is expected to be evaluated after practice Friday and should have more updates. His first season in Montreal has gone well after an offseason deal from Colorado, with seven goals, six assists, 31 SOG, eight PIMs and a -5 plus/minus in 23 games prior to the injury.

Carrier left Thursday's matchup vs. Minnesota after just three shifts and 1:39 TOI after being the recipient of a questionable hit from Kirill Kaprizov and is considered out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He has been enjoying a solid start to 2023-24, with a goal, seven assists, 16 SOG, 12 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus in 22 games prior to his injury.

Kahkonen and the Sharks have been much better of late but will be tested on Friday against the New Jersey Devils, who have won three straight, outscoring their opposition 16-9. Kahkonen has won two of his last three starts, including a heroic 44-save performance in a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Blue on November 16th. That said, Kahkonen could play the game of his life and still come up short, as the Sharks are massive +401 road underdogs against the Devils. The Sharks and Devils are both playing back ends of a back-to-back, the Sharks having lost 3-0 to the Boston Bruins last night while the Devils were victorious 4-3 over the Philadelphia Flyers.

After rumblings of a contract extension being in the works for several weeks, the two parties finally agreed on a three-year, $9.45 million contract. Montembeault has been a bright spot for the Canadiens this season, consistently putting up strong performances throughout the season thus far. Remarkably, seven of Montembeault's nine starts this season are quality starts (.778 QS%). He has a 2.73 GAA and .910 SV% along with a 5-3-1 record, totals considerably more impressive considering the Canadiens' 25th-ranked league defence (3.48 GA / GP).

Montembeault has been more than serviceable when called upon this season for a Canadiens team that ranks 30th in the league in terms of shot suppression (34.5 SA / GP). In his last four games (2-1-0), Montembeault has only allowed eight total goals, saving 105 of 133 shots (.929 SV%). Facing the Canadiens on Wednesday are the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are playing their best hockey of the season, winning three of their last four (3-1-0) and outscoring their opposition 16-9. The Canadiens have lost five of their last seven (2-5-0) and, as such, are +112 road underdogs against the suddenly hot Blue Jackets.

San Jose will continue to shuffle their goals as Kaapo Kahkonen makes his third start in five games Saturday vs. Vancouver. It has been yet another horrendous season in San Jose for the 27-year-old, who is 1-6-0 with a 4.30 GAA and .887 SV%. He takes on the offensive juggernauts that are the Vancouver Canucks, who have won two of their last three games and lead the NHL in goals per game (4.05).

Struble was Montreal's 2019 second-round pick (46th overall) and will make his NHL debut Wednesday in Anaheim. The 22-year-old defenseman had a goal, five assists, 29 PIMs, and a +4 plus/minus through 12 games with Laval (AHL) prior to his promotion to the big leagues and needed only 21 AHL games under his belt before making his NHL debut.

Montembeault will play for the first time since November 14th when he allowed two goals on 29 shots (.931 SV%) in a 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. Montembeault has consistently put together strong performances this season, recording quality starts in five of seven contests. Over his past three appearances (1-1-0), Montembeault has saved 75 of 80 shots (.938 SV%) and looks poised for another strong outing on Wednesday as the Canadiens take on an Anaheim Ducks team that has scored two or fewer goals in three straight games (0-3-0).

Blais was a healthy scratch on Sunday but will return to the lineup on Wednesday in favour of Jakub Vrana. Blais has five points (1G / 4A) in 16 games this season and is averaging 3.75 hits per game. He is expected to play on the Blues fourth line alongside Nikita Alexandrov and Oskar Sundqvist.

Kahkonen is coming off his first victory of the season, a heroic 44-save effort (.978 SV%) in a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. Despite a horrendous 3.86 GAA, Kahkonen has an impressive 50% quality start rate through seven appearances this season (1-5-0). Expect another busy night for Kahkonen as the Sharks allow a league-worst 38.3 shots on goal per game and are +246 road favourites against a Seattle Kraken team that has points in four straight contests (2-0-2).

Laine was embarrassed by being a healthy scratched on Sunday by Blue Jackets' head coach Pascal Vincent, who will hope he sparked the Finnish sniper. Before his healthy scratch, Laine was held without a point in four straight games and only three points (2G / 1A) in nine contests this season. He will likely re-enter the Blue Jackets lineup playing on the wing of the second line with Dmitri Voronkov and Adam Fantilli.