The Montreal Canadiens are keeping Monday’s lineup under wraps as they head to the Colisée de Trois-Rivières for their game against the Ottawa Senators in Kraft Hockeyville.
After picking up two wins in one night over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Canadiens were back on the ice Sunday at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. The morning session came after a few absences from Saturday night’s games, with Jake Evans, Lucas Condotta and Alexandre Carrier not on the ice. That opened the door for Dillan Bentley and Josh Nadeau to skate with Group A, while Laurent Dauphin joined Group B.
The club has still not confirmed who will suit up in Trois-Rivières, though Samuel Montembeault and Zachary Bolduc appear likely to make the trip as local favorites.
Montembeault, who was in net against the Leafs on Saturday, said the early power play helped him settle in.
“I was a little nervous before the game, but they got a power play right away, which let me shake off the nerves and move really well. The guys did an excellent job on the penalty kill in our zone, which helped me as well. They had really good players on the other side, and we face them often this season since they play in our division, so it was a good first test.”
A game in Trois-Rivières would carry extra meaning for the goaltender, who has plenty of ties close to the rink.
“We don’t have the lineup yet for tomorrow, Martin said it should be out in an hour or so, but it would certainly be a lot of fun. I have a house five minutes away from the rink.
When I go to Trois-Rivières, I'm always driving by. I’ve been to see Lions games over there; it would be really fun, and I’m sure a lot of friends and family will be there to watch.
It’s going to be really good for the community as well.”
Sunday’s workout for both groups lasted 45 minutes and was heavy on offensive drills, giving the goaltenders a demanding session. The Canadiens have not said who will play, and the final answer may not come until the team’s red carpet arrival, set for 9:00 AM Monday.
The Senators are scheduled to arrive between 8:00 and 8:30 AM, with their practice set for 10:15 AM. Montreal will follow at 11:15 AM.
In Other News...
Florian Xhekaj Just Forced A Bigger Canadiens Roster Debate
Florian Xhekaj has spent training camp making himself harder to ignore, and not just because of the name on the back of the sweater. He has been skating with established players, showing the kind of physical development that tends to catch a coachs eye in September, and the broader Canadiens picture only adds to the intrigue with his brother Arber having recently signed a one-year deal in the organization.
The latest reminder came in a preseason meeting with Toronto, where Xhekaj dropped the gloves and added another layer to an already interesting camp battle. For Montreal, it is the sort of development that can sharpen a roster conversation quickly: a young player pushing for attention, a team looking at its depth and identity, and a decision that gets tougher when the physical edge starts to show up in real games. [Read more 🡒]
Arber Xhekaj Created A Canadiens Issue Fans Didn't Expect
The Canadiens preseason doubleheader against the Maple Leafs produced plenty of the usual camp noise, but Arber Xhekaj found himself at the center of an unexpected off-ice discussion. While serving a penalty, he was seen in the box using a cell phone to watch his brother Florian Xhekajs fight in the other game, a quirky scene that quickly drew attention beyond the scoreboard and into the leagues rulebook.
Montreal fans already had reason to keep an eye on Florian, who has been pushing for a roster spot and turned in a solid outing with an assist, a blocked shot and plenty of physical play. Now the focus has shifted to what comes next for Arber, because the NHL bans cell phones on the bench and in the penalty box, making this less of a lighthearted family moment and more of a situation that could carry a penalty of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face New Lineup Concern After Practice Absences
The Canadiens had a different look at practice as Alexandre Carrier, Jake Evans and Lucas Condotta were not on the ice with the regular group. Josh Nadeau and Dillan Bentley were moved into Group A, while Laurent Dauphin joined Group B to help fill the gaps, a sign that the club was shuffling things around before its next preseason outing against the Ottawa Senators.
The absences have not been explained, so it is not clear whether this was simply maintenance or tied to what happened in the previous game. Evans is the name worth watching most closely after he left that contest early with an apparent injury, and with no official lineup announced yet, the Canadiens still have a little uncertainty hanging over how they will look when they return to game action. [Read more 🡒]