After a two-game absence, Xhekaj will draw back into the Canadiens' lineup on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. In five games this season, Xhekaj has zero points, a -4 plus/minus, and 10 hits.
On the tail end of a back-to-back, the Canadiens will turn to Primeau between the pipes on Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers. Despite allowing six combined goals in his last two outings (0-0-1), Primeau has been solid in limited action for the Canadiens lately, posting a .915 SV%. The Canadiens enter the action on Sunday as +146 road underdogs against the Flyers.
On the front end of a back-to-back, the Canadiens will turn to Montembeault between the pipes for the fifth time in the last six games. After a fabulous start to the season, saving 72 of 73 shots (.986 SV%) in his first two contests (2-0-0), Montembeault has lost three straight (0-3-0), allowing three or more goals in each while posting an ugly .829 SV%. The Canadiens will host a St. Louis Blues club averaging 3.0 goals per game.
With Juraj Slafkovsky (upper body) out for at least a week, Pezzetta will make his season debut on Tuesday against the New York Rangers. The 26-year-old Pezzetta was a regular in the lineup for the Canadiens last season, tallying 12 points (3G / 9A) in 61 games.
Slafkovsky has been battling a shoulder injury since last week. He was a game-time decision on Saturday but managed to play and recorded two points (0G / 2A), one shot, and four hits while playing 15:57 time-on-ice. This ongoing shoulder issue continues to be an impairment for Slafkovsky, who will be shut down for at least the next week before being reevaluated.
The Canadiens are riding a three-game losing skid (0-2-1), being outscored 14-7, and will attempt to return to the win column on Tuesday with Montembeault between the pipes. The 27-year-old Montembeault was sensational to start the 2024-25 season, saving 72 of 73 shots (.986 SV%) in his first two games (2-0-0), before losing his next two outings (0-2-0), falling drastically to a .867 SV% in those two games. The Canadiens will host a New York Rangers team that has yet to lose in regulation (4-0-1).
Slafkovsky has been battling a shoulder injury since last week. He was a game-time decision on Saturday but managed to play and recorded two points (0G / 2A), one shot, and four hits while playing 15:57 time-on-ice. This ongoing shoulder issue continues to be an impairment for Slafkovsky, whose status is uncertain for Tuesday's contest against the New York Rangers.
Slafkovsky suffered a shoulder injury at practice on Friday but will still travel with the team to New York for the Saturday matchup against the Islanders. The 20-year-old Slovak is off to a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, with four points (1G / 3A) in five contests.
Guhle played 23:09 time-on-ice in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings but suffered a lower-body injury at some point. The 22-year-old defenseman has had a strong start to the 2024-25 season, tallying four points (1G / 3A), 20 blocks, seven hits, and a +4 plus/minus rating in five games.
Mailloux was the 31st overall pick of the Canadiens in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old played one game with the Canadiens last season, his NHL debut, and recorded one assist. He has four points (2G / 2A) in two games this season with the Laval Rocket (AHL).
The Canadiens will turn to Montembeault in the crease for the third straight time and the fourth time in five games to start the season. Montembeault will attempt to erase his previous effort from his memory when he allowed five goals on 30 shots (.833 SV%) in a 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, his first loss of the season. The Canadiens enter action on Thursday as +120 home underdogs against a Los Angeles Kings team that lost 6-2 last night to the Toronto Maple Leafs and has allowed an absurd 14 goals in their last two games (0-1-1).
Struble missed the first four games of the season due to an upper-body injury but is ready to return the lineup. The 23-year-old defenseman was impressive in his inaugural NHL season, tallying 10 points (3G / 7A), 53 blocks, and 121 hits while averaging 16:07 time-on-ice in 56 games.
Barré-Boulet failed to record a point and recorded a -2 plus/minus rating in the first two games of the season and was subsequently placed on waivers on Sunday. He will report to the Laval Rocket (AHL) after clearing waivers on Monday.
Montembeault has been a pleasant surprise for the Canadiens early in the 2023-24 campaign and will start for the third time in their first four games on Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 28-year-old Montembeault has stopped 72 of 73 shots faced this season (.986 SV%) in his first two contests (2-0-0). That said, the Canadiens enter action as +124 home underdogs against the Penguins.
