QUICK HITS
BLUES Head Coach Jim Montgomery called Saturday's loss to the Hurricanes "very humbling."
The Blues were shutout for the first time this season, with Carolina goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov securing his first shutout of the season and his seventh-straight win. Though the Blues did generate high-danger scoring chances in the first period, the Hurricanes played to their trademark defensive identity and successfully stalled the St. Louis offense.
Carolina took a 2-0 lead within a 20-second span during the second period with goals from Sean Walker and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Hurricanes also converted on their only power play opportunity of the contest four minutes into the third period.
"[The game] was a tutorial by Stanley Cup champions about how to play to who you are no matter the score," Montgomery said. "They were as committed in the third period up 3-0, 4-0 as they were at the start of the game. It's hard work, but that hard work becomes who you are when you do it everyday - it translates. That's what we're trying to grow into."
CANADIENS The Montreal Canadiens have begun the season with a 6-3-2 record and rank fifth in the Atlantic Division. After failing to put together a deep playoff run since their loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, the Canadiens battled through the 2026 postseason with consecutive seven-game series victories over the Lightning and Buffalo Sabres. Montreal was eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final in five games by the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Canadiens GM Kent Hughes did tidy work in the offseason to keep Montreal in contention for the foreseeable future, signing forward Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract extension. Demidov was selected No. 5 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and played his first full NHL season last year, scoring 19 goals and 62 points.
In addition to Demidov, the Canadiens also signed forward Chris Kreider (one-year contract) as a free agent. Goaltenders Jakub Dobes (three-year contract) and Kaapo Kahkonen (one-year contract) were also extended new contracts. Veteran forward Brendan Gallagher was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations and prospect Brett Berard was acquired from the New York Rangers on the eve of the 2026 NHL Draft.
With Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis as head coach, the Canadiens' best assets are their speed, high skill and dynamic offensive zone movement. Captain Nick Suzuki, forward Cole Caufield and defenseman Lane Hutson lead the offense with a combined 14 goals and 32 points through the team's first 11 games. In net, the Canadiens have split duties between Dobes and 21-year old Jacob Fowler, who is currently tied for eighth-most wins by a goaltender this season and has won his last five starts.
Montreal will be without Suzuki (upper-body, week-to-week) and Demidov (lower-body, day-to-day), as they are both sidelined with injuries. Additionally, goaltender Sam Montembeault is on the team's injured reserve list with a lower-body injury. The Canadiens are on a two-game winning streak, coming off a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.
