After losing their last two games and suffering sizeable defeats over the previous two weeks, the Montreal Canadiens called up Adam Engstrom, Owen Beck, and Jacob Fowler. After yesterday’s practice, Martin St-Louis downplayed the importance of the young goaltender’s being recalled, but given recent events, he wasn’t very successful.
The organization also announced that Jake Evans will leave the team for personal reasons and will rejoin before the team faces the New York Rangers on Saturday night. According to RDS’s Luc Gelinas, Evans has been playing with an injured foot since November 20 and must meet a doctor in Philadelphia. Interestingly, the team chose to evoke personal reasons rather than mention the injury.
Advertisement
Canadiens Control The Narrative
Canadiens Prospect Has Big Opportunity With Call-Up
Canadiens: Home Sweet Home?
The center’s absence has forced St-Louis to shuffle his lines. In Brossard on Monday morning, Zachary Bolduc was back with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield; Juraj Slafkovsky skated with Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen; and newcomer Beck was centring a new line featuring Alexandre Texier and Josh Anderson. Meanwhile, Joe Veleno, Jared Davidson and Brendan Gallagher were reunited.
On the blueline, Engstrom alternated with Jayden Struble on the second pairing alongside Lane Hutson. Struble didn’t have a great game against the Lightning, finishing his night with a minus-two rating and being easily beaten by Brayden Point, who was on his way to score the game’s opening goal. It wouldn’t be shocking if Engstrom were called upon, given the circumstances.
All eyes will be on the Canadiens’ net tonight. Jakub Dobes has started the last three games, Samuel Montembeault has been dealing with an illness and wasn’t exactly sharp in relief of Dobes against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the coach has mentioned that he doesn’t even know if he’ll give a game to Fowler on the road trip.
Advertisement
If I were a betting woman, I’d put money on Fowler starting the first game of his career against the Pittsburgh Penguins nonetheless. Montembeault has a 2-3-1 record against the Pennsylvania outfit with a 3.72 GAA and a .880 save percentage, while Dobes has never taken on Sidney Crosby and co. Either way, since the three duels against them last season came before he was called up after the Christmas break.
As for the Penguins, goaltender Tristan Jarry has an 8-1-1 record against the Habs with a 2.50 GAA and a .911 SV. Meanwhile, Arturs Silovs has never taken on the Canadiens. The Latvian native has split the workload with Jarry this season and has a 4-4-5 record with a 2.98 GAA and a .900 SV.
Up front, the Canadiens will of course need to keep Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby in check; the living legend has 69 points against the Habs in just 52 duels, including 25 goals. The Pittsburgh captain already has 18 goals this season and is on pace for 52 lamplighters, which would be a career high. He scored 51 goals in 2009-10. Unsurprisingly, Evgeni Malkin is not far behind him with 64 points in 52 games, and he’s also having a solid season; he’s got 29 points in 26 games, on pace for 74 points, but he’s currently on the injured reserve list. Defensemen Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang both enjoy taking on the Habs; the former Ottawa Senators captain has 42 points in 52 duels with the Habs, while the lifelong Penguins have 39 points in 47 games.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Gallagher is the Canadiens’ top scorer against the Pens with 15 points in 31 games, followed by Suzuki with 11 points in 15 games, and Mike Matheson has 10 points in 19 games against his former team. Anderson is the only other Hab to reach double digits against the Pens; he has 10 points in 26 games. Meanwhile, Caufield, who just saw his 11-game point streak come to an end against Tampa, only has five points in 11 tilts.
Thursday night’s duel will be the first of three between the two teams this season, with the other two scheduled for December 20 and 21, just over a week from now. The Penguins have won seven of the last 10 duels, including the three from last season when they outscored the Habs 18-6.
The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on SN-PIT, TSN2, and RDS. The Canadiens don’t have a practice this morning, but there will be media availabilities at 11:45 AM at the team’s hotel. Will St-Louis show his hand, goaltending-wise, then? It remains to be seen.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Advertisement
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens’ page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens’ roundtable on The Hockey News.
Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here.
