Heading into this season, one of many largest query marks for the Canadiens was goaltending.
Popping out of the Olympic break, that hasn’t modified.
The Canadiens are in second place within the Atlantic Division with a 32-17-8 file regardless of inconsistent goaltending from Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes. Montembeault has a 10-8-2 file with a 3.34 goals-against common and a .875 save proportion, whereas Dobes is 18-5-4 with a 2.96 GAA and a .892 save proportion.
The Canadiens rank twenty third within the NHL in defence, giving up a mean of three.21 objectives per recreation. They’re in a playoff place as a result of they rank third in objectives scored with a mean of three.46 objectives per recreation.
Goaltending can be a key for the Canadiens over the last 25 video games of the season, beginning with Thursday’s matchup in opposition to the New York Islanders on the Bell Centre
(7 p.m., TSN2, RDS),
adopted by one other residence recreation Saturday in opposition to the Washington Capitals
(7 p.m., Citytv, SNE, TVA Sports activities).
After observe Tuesday in Brossard, head coach Martin St. Louis mentioned Montembeault and Dobes would cut up the primary two video games, however didn’t say who can be in internet Thursday. Goalie choices after that can be made on a game-by-game foundation.
There’s some motive for optimism shifting ahead with the 2 goalies.
Montembeault is coming off his finest recreation of the season,
stopping 36 of 37 photographs in a 5-1 win over the Jets in Winnipeg within the ultimate recreation earlier than the Olympic break on Feb. 4
, whereas Dobes has an 8-0-2 file in his final 10 video games with an .899 save proportion.
The Canadiens even have a brand new goalie coach
after firing Eric Raymond on Jan. 28 and changing him with Marco Marciano
, who had been goalie coach of the AHL’s Laval Rocket and has a historical past with each Montembeault and Dobes. Marciano was Montembeault’s goalie coach in junior with the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and labored with Dobes in Laval.
Marciano brings a optimistic vitality and enthusiasm to his job — which may be very noticeable when watching practices. It’s one thing Dobes actually appreciates.
New #Habs goalie coach Marco Marciano speaking with goalies Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes at observe this morning. pic.twitter.com/bTE4Kbw25k
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) February 24, 2026
“I really feel like with Marco, even when I doubtlessly may have a foul recreation, I do know that the following day I’ll get higher,” Dobes mentioned. “I simply really feel like he has my again and, it doesn’t matter what occurs, I really feel assured with him. If it’s day, dangerous day, I do know the following day’s going to be good. That sort of feeling that it doesn’t matter what occurs, I really feel like we’ll be effective. Now we have friendship and relationship. Daily is thrilling to be with him.”
Montembeault additionally appreciates Marciano’s ardour for his job.
“I feel he drinks like 5 or 10 coffees a day, so he’s clearly obtained loads of vitality,” Montembeault mentioned with a chuckle. “He’s simply so obsessed with what he does. He needs us to all the time be at our greatest and he all the time brings that vitality.”
When requested what the most important distinction is between Marciano and Raymond, Montembeault mentioned: “They’re each actually good goalie coaches. However the recreation plan, the way in which they need us to play the sport is a bit completely different. Eric needed us to play a bit greater in comparison with Marco needs us to be in our stance a bit extra, have our legs loaded always and all the time be able to push.”
New #Habs goalie coach Marco Marciano working with Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes at observe this morning in Brossard. pic.twitter.com/drruSjVLlB
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) February 24, 2026
Marciano has had success with goalies in Laval.
Dobes had a 9-3-1 file with a 2.44 GAA and a .910 save proportion with the Rocket final season earlier than getting referred to as up by the Canadiens. Whereas Cayden Primeau struggled with the Canadiens final season, he had a 21-2-2 file with the Rocket, together with a 1.96 GAA and a .927 save proportion. Jacob Fowler has an 18-7-1 file this season with the Rocket, together with a 2.23 GAA and a .915 save proportion, whereas Kaapo Kahkonen is 15-4-4 with a 2.55 GAA and a .904 save proportion.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Dobes mentioned Marciano focuses loads on the main points of his goalie’s actions and helps him use his dimension higher.
“We’re engaged on that,” Dobes mentioned. “He’s only a actually sensible man and I really feel like I can get loads of data from him. He notices issues on the ice. I’m simply very completely satisfied to be again with him. In Laval we did loads of good issues and he made me a reasonably good goalie, so hopefully I can get even higher.”
The Canadiens want Montembeault and Dobes to each be higher through the stretch run towards the playoffs and are hoping Marciano might help make that occur.
“Even the issues we do now, we had been doing it a year-and-a-half in the past (in Laval),” Dobes mentioned. “Now it’s simply sort of a reminder. We attempt to work on the fundamentals we had been engaged on in Laval. For subsequent season, we’re going to enhance over the summer time. We’re simply beginning.
“I really feel like we’re already shifting ahead, however we have now much more work to do and I’m actually excited,” Dobes added. “I really feel like I might be a very good goalie with him and we’ll see. We’re going daily and we’ll see what occurs tomorrow.”
scowan@postmedia.com
x.com/StuCowan1
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