Montembeault Pulled, Canadiens’ Defense Exposed as Blues Dominate in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO – The Montreal Canadiens suffered a brutal defeat on the road Tuesday night as the St. Louis Blues unleashed an offensive onslaught, exposing Montreal’s defensive weaknesses and forcing goaltender Samuel Montembeault to an early exit.
From the opening puck drop, the Blues dictated the pace, peppering Montembeault with high-danger chances. Despite some early saves, the Canadiens’ netminder found himself overwhelmed by a relentless St. Louis attack. After surrendering several unanswered goals, head coach Martin St. Louis had no choice but to pull Montembeault in favor of backup goaltender Jake Allen.
Unfortunately for the Canadiens, the change did little to slow down the Blues. St. Louis continued to dominate possession, carving through Montreal’s defensive structure with ease. Defensive lapses, missed assignments, and costly turnovers left the Canadiens scrambling as the Blues capitalized on nearly every mistake.
Offensively, Montreal struggled to generate quality scoring chances, with their top forwards being neutralized by a disciplined St. Louis defense. The frustration was evident as the game wore on, with the Canadiens failing to mount any sort of comeback.
By the final buzzer, the scoreboard reflected a lopsided and humbling loss for Montreal. The defeat not only raises concerns about the Canadiens’ defensive depth but also puts pressure on Montembeault and the team’s goaltending situation moving forward.
With this crushing loss behind them, the Canadiens will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for their next matchup. If they hope to stay competitive, addressing their defensive shortcomings will be a top priority.
