Montembeault’s Key Win Fuels Comeback Hope for Canadiens. The goalie’s strong performance against Florida marks a pivotal step in regaining his confidence after a difficult stretch.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault aims to use his strong performance against the Florida Panthers as a foundation for his comeback. Though just a single game, the win was a crucial confidence boost for the struggling netminder.
Facing his former team, Montembeault made 28 saves in a 3-2 overtime victory, holding the defending champions scoreless for over 50 minutes. He maintained his composure even after a skillful goal by Sam Reinhart. “I’m really happy with my game,” Montembeault said, emphasizing his focus on building momentum with each save.
The start was his first for Montreal since early December, following a difficult relief appearance and a subsequent conditioning stint in the AHL. Despite two losses with Laval, he posted solid personal stats.
Coach Martin St. Louis praised Montembeault’s choice to focus on improvement over excuses. Teammates, understanding his recent challenges, celebrated the win with him enthusiastically. “He did a hell of a job,” said Cole Caufield.
Despite this promising outing, Montembeault’s season statistics (6-6-1, 3.52 GAA, .863 save percentage) remain below last year’s career-best form. Jakub Dobes will start the next game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
In other team news, forward Ivan Demidov was named NHL Rookie of the Month for December.
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