What Happened
In Montreal's pre-season finale, a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, Samuel Montembeault replaced Jacob Fowler halfway through the game and stopped all 14 shots he faced in regulation. He also turned aside four of five attempts in a pre-planned shootout. Chris Kreider opened the scoring with his first goal as a Canadien, converting a Nick Suzuki pass from outside Samuel Ersson's crease. Montembeault, who was booed at the Bell Centre last February after an eighth straight home loss, received loud cheers from the crowd.
Key Details
- Canadiens beat the Senators 4-2 to end the pre-season.
- Montembeault relieved Jacob Fowler midway through Saturday's game.
- He stopped 14 of 14 shots in regulation and four of five in the shootout.
- Chris Kreider scored his first Canadiens goal on a Nick Suzuki pass.
- Montembeault is 29 and had the NHL's fifth-best goals-saved-above-expected average in 2024-25.
- Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes are also in the crease mix.
What It Means
Montembeault entered camp facing questions after a difficult 2025-26 season that followed a strong 2024-25 in which he ranked among the NHL's best in goals saved above expected. His showing against Ottawa, and the reaction from the Bell Centre crowd, comes as Montreal sorts out its goaltending depth with Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes also in the picture.