Hockey

Jakub Dobes: there’s a chance we’ll see him again tomorrow (and that would send quite a message)
Félix Forget
Jakub Dobes: there’s a chance we’ll see him again tomorrow (and that would send quite a message)
Credit: Getty Images

Tonight, the Canadiens are in Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs. And for the occasion, Jakub Dobes will be in goal.

The 24-year-old goaltender is actually on a good run. Last Saturday's game against the Avalanche was painful, but he has won three of his last four starts (by being solid in front of the net).

And with no end in sight for Samuel Montembeault, goaltending suddenly becomes quite tricky. And starting tomorrow, things could get bumpy.

For the moment, we're expecting Monty to be in the net tomorrow (it's “probable,” according to Martin St-Louis). But Stu Cowan, who answered fans' questions in a piece for Montreal Gazette, noted that if Dobes does well tonight, he expects to see him back in net tomorrow.

And that would send quite a message.

The fact that St-Louis hasn't confirmed beyond any doubt that Montembeault will be in net tomorrow is a pretty strong message in itself. After all, before the start of the season, the coach had made it clear: in two-games-in-two-nights situations, expect the goalies to share the task.

But if Dobes is the starter again tomorrow, all that's going to take the edge… especially when you consider that there will be (short) travel between the two games. It's not like both games are at the Bell Centre.

But the Habs are in the thick of the playoff race right now, and they need to win games. If Dobes is the goalie who gives them the best chance of doing that, he's the one who needs to have the net.

And at the start of the season, we saw what happened when a fired-up Dobes was repeatedly left on the bench. Maybe the coach has learned from that, too.


Overtime

– Inter Miami are MLS champions. The club defeated the Whitecaps.

– Whew.

– I'm going with 4-2 Montreal. How about you?

– It's not ideal. At the same time, these guys take care of the toughest minutes to let the others focus on offense…

– No, Oliver Kapanen is not a second center. Nor was Jake Evans a year ago.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!