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Canadien: goalie change for 15th straight game

The question of the Canadiens’ three-goal rotation has become a topic of debate among fans, and rightly so.

We won’t go through all the problems with this rotation again, but one of them is that it doesn’t motivate any of the three goalies. A good performance means nothing, because you’re not going to get the next start anyway.

A recent example of this is Samuel Montembeault’s solid performance against the Ducks. However, he wouldn’t be the starting goalie two days later in San José, highlighting the shortcomings of this three-man rotation.

Why not? Because all three goalies have to play… and that’s the problem. Cayden Primeau will be the starting goalie.

The 98.5 Sports experts highlighted this problem, pointing out the unfairness of the situation. Mario Langlois believes the Quebecer deserves more playing time, while Martin McGuire thinks we’re witnessing the best version of Montembeault.

I agree. The Quebecer is the number one goalie on this team and he needs to play to progress.

Primeau has to play too, but as number-two goalie. We need to find a solution and remove Jake Allen (preferably) from this three-way rotation, in my opinion. Oilers?

When I tell you that goalies don’t play two games in a row despite a good performance, it’s no joke. As Guillaume Villemaire pointed out on X, this is the 15th game in a row that Montreal has sent out a different goaltender. 15th time!

It’s also the sixth time in a row that the winning goaltender has been left out for the next game. Yikes…

The last time one of the three goalies had two starts in two games was on October 21 and 23, when Allen won against Washington on Saturday and in Buffalo two days later.

Monty had also played two games in a row a few days earlier, when he was on duty against Connor Bedard’s Blackhawks and the Minnesota Wild. But since then, the three-goalie rotation has been a real one, like those in Major League Baseball.

Montembeault played two games in a row in early November, but he didn’t start either of them.

Martin St-Louis has therefore changed goalkeeper in the last 15 games, and that figure is likely to rise to 16 on Saturday, as I can’t see Primeau playing a second game in two afternoons.


In bursts

– Speaking of goalies.

– Really?

– Mike Matheson is the third-highest scorer among defensemen since January 31, 2023.

– Listen, as always.

– News from Nikita Zadorov.

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