Montreal aims to recover from a disappointing outing as they travel to New Jersey to face the Devils.
All good runs eventually end, though Montreal surely wished for a better conclusion than Tuesday night’s game. Aiming for a fifth straight win, the Canadiens played one of their weakest matches of the season, conceding three goals to the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening period.
The matchup was meant to help Samuel Montembeault regain his confidence and rhythm, but the goaltender allowed goals on three of the first six shots he faced. However, he recovered impressively, stopping 35 of the next 36 attempts and keeping his team in contention.
In the offensive zone, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov steped up, supported by Juraj Slafkovský, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Kirby Dach. Their efforts helped Montreal seize the lead heading into the final frame. Yet, their early lapses left little room for mistakes, and Nikita Grebenkin’s first NHL goal brought the game back to level.
The Flyers capitalized in the shootout to claim the extra point, denying Montreal a fifth consecutive victory.
Following a shaky start, Montreal’s strong recovery fell short as Philadelphia edged them in the shootout, leaving the Canadiens eager to rebound against the Devils.
Author’s summary: Montreal seeks to restore form and confidence after a tough loss that broke their winning streak, taking on New Jersey with renewed focus.