After being absent from play since Monday evening, the Montreal Canadiens put forth a strong effort but ultimately fell short against the Los Angeles Kings, losing 4-1 at home. This defeat not only affected the team’s standings but also resulted in the loss of their top defenseman, Mike Matheson, who exited early in the second period and did not return.
There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s jump into the key moments!
Promising Start
Montreal (2-3-0) began the game on a high note, performing well on both offense and defense. Sam Montembeault, starting for the third consecutive game, showed good awareness despite facing several early shots. Just over seven minutes into the match, defenseman Justin Barron scored first after a great individual play, wrapping the puck around into the net past Rittich. Barron, who set a career high with seven goals last year, was assisted by Cole Caufield and captain Nick Suzuki, extending Suzuki’s point streak to three games with four assists, while Caufield demonstrated his playmaking ability with the assist.
The Kings pushed back aggressively, generating numerous chances on Montembeault, but it was a long shot that caught him off guard. Near the end of the first period, defenseman Mikey Anderson scored on a point shot that slipped past the screened Canadiens goalie for his first goal of the season.
Before the goal, there was a heartfelt tribute to David Savard, who was playing in his 800th career NHL game, celebrated by Canadiens fans. His defensive partner, Arber Xhekaj, also marked a milestone with his 100th game.
The Kings quickly took a 2-1 lead just two minutes into the second period with another point shot from Jordan Spence. Shortly after, Matheson suffered an upper body injury, leaving the game and his teammates to shuffle their lineup. Lane Hutson was promoted to the first power play unit but couldn’t capitalize. Despite having five power play chances—a first for the season without scoring—the Canadiens struggled. Hutson, however, played impressively, logging more than 30 minutes on the ice (30:05) due to the reduced roster.
In the third period, both goalies continued to perform well, keeping it a one-goal game. But just over seven minutes in, Hutson halted Kings forward Kevin Fiala during a breakaway, earning a penalty shot. Fiala had previously missed both of his earlier penalty shots, and Montembeault, who had never faced one, successfully made the save. Montreal had a great opportunity to equalize with six minutes left, but Alex Newhook was thwarted by a last-minute defensive play from the Kings, losing a chance to score his second goal of the season. However, Kirby Dach raised eyebrows with a dangerous scoring opportunity.
The Canadiens have struggled against the Kings, continuing a series of seven consecutive losses. The last time Montreal secured a win against Los Angeles was on November 9, 2019, when then-captain Shea Weber netted two goals in a 3-2 victory.
Montreal will return to the ice on Saturday, traveling to face the New York Islanders, with puck drop set for 7 pm ET.
