Carrier was a late scratch on Tuesday, with the team not announcing his injury until the start of warmups. His absence makes way for the likely return of Jeremy Lauzon (lower-body).
The Canadiens snapped a four-game losing skid on Sunday courtesy of a strong performance from Cayden Primeau but will return to Montembeault on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche. Montembeault has lost six straight (0-3-3), allowing three or more goals five times, but has salvaged a respectable .901 SV%. The Canadiens enter action as significant +346 road underdogs.
Marco Scandella will replace Bolduc on Monday, as the Blues will use an 11-forward, seven-defenseman formation. Bolduc has been a lineup-regular for the Blues over the last month and has two points (0G / 2A) in his last six games.
The Canadiens have lost three straight and will turn to Montembeault to tend the twine for the second straight game on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. Montembeault has failed to record a victory in five straight, including his most recent outing when he allowed three goals on 32 shots (.906 SV%) in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The Canadiens enter action as sizeable +228 road underdogs.
Roy played 12:21 time-on-ice in Montreal's 3-2 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers but suffered a lower-body injury and will be out indefinitely. The 20-year-old Roy has nine points (4G / 5A) in 23 games.
Johnathan Kovacevic will replace Struble on Tuesday night against the Edmonton Oilers. Struble had played five of the last six games for the Canadiens, averaging fewer than 15 minutes of ice time and being held off the scoresheet.
Montreal's goaltending carousel continues on Tuesday as Samuel Montembeault takes back the crease and looks to end a personal four-game losing streak. The 27-year-old netminder has played well despite Montreal providing limited offense this season, with his 13-12-6 record, 3.11 GAA and .905 SV%. He draws the difficult task of Edmonton on the road Tuesday, who have won seven of their last 10 games and currently sit fourth in the NHL in goals per game (3.52).
Reinbacher was the fifth overall pick of the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and is set to make his professional North American debut after being reassigned to the Laval Rocket (AHL). The Austrian-born Reinbacher had 11 points (1G / 10A in 35 games with Kloten HC (NL) this season.
Del Gaizo made his NHL debut earlier this season, playing five games with the Predators, but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL. The 24-year-old has 32 points (8G / 24A) in 51 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL).
Struble will watch Thursday's game against the Boston Bruins from the pressbox as Jordan Harris will draw into the lineup as his replacement. Struble played the last four games for the Canadiens, averaging nearly 15 minutes time-on-ice, and recording 13 hits.
The Canadiens won 3-0 on Tuesday, courtesy of a 41-save shutout from Cayden Primeau, but will return Montebeault between the pipes on Thursday. Montembeault has lost three straight, allowing three goals in each, including a 24-save performance (.889 SV%) in a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in his last outing. Montembeault last faced the Bruins on January 20th and had an abysmal outing, allowing eight goals on 30 shots (.733 SV%) in a 9-4 loss.
Kahkonen joins a Devils club that already acquired Jake Allen via trade earlier on Friday, likely indicating that they will be riding a new tandem between the pipes for the remainder of the season. The 27-year-old Kahkonen was serviceable on a defensively poor Sharks team this season, posting a 3.81 GAA and .895 SV% through 31 games (6-20-3).
Montembeault has not played the last two games for the Canadiens but will return to the crease on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 27-year-old Montembeault had a rough February but is trending in the right direction after posting a stellar .932 SV% over his last two games (1-0-1).
Slafkovsky is battling an undisclosed ailment but will be able to play on Tuesday against the Predators. The second-year Slovak forward only has one point (1G / 0A) in his last six games after amassing an impressive 12 points (6G / 6A) in his previous eight.
