Terrible Start To 2nd Period Leads To Habs Losing To The Blues
The Montreal Canadiens weren’t prepared to start the 2nd period during Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, which resulted in 2 goals in 39 seconds, as the Habs fell short in a 4-3 loss. Blues captain Brayden Schenn took advantage of nearly every defensive breakdown that the Habs had in the game, as he finished with his two goals and an assist to lead his team to victory. The Canadiens have now fallen to just 7-7-1 on the season at the Bell Centre.
The Montreal Canadiens fell to the Blues 4–3 in regulation.
Thoughts?
Les Canadiens de Montréal se sont inclinés 4–3 en temps réglementaire contre les Blues.
Prochain match : Canadiens vs Lightning
Le 9 décembre à 19 h#GoHabsGo #thesickpodcast @TonyMarinaro pic.twitter.com/QIonESEOrS— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) December 8, 2025
Due to goaltender Samuel Montembeault being announced out with an illness about 2 hours before the game, Jakub Dobes, who played on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, made a start on back-to-back nights for the first time in his NHL career. During the game, Dobes wasn’t able to make the key saves when needed on odd-man rushes, although he wasn’t entirely to blame for the goals he allowed; it would have been great if he could have bailed out his teammates on a 2-on-1 as he has over his past few games. It wasn’t a terrible game from Dobes, but it was far from a good performance from the Habs’ netminder.
Sunday night’s game proved that Dobes is not equipped to play back-to-back nights. With that being said, the Habs need to make sure Montembeault can be trustworthy or that they find someone who can take the other half of a back-to-back. Maybe Kaapo Kahkonen, who was called up to back up Dobes on Sunday night, can prove to be a good option for those back-to-backs that are coming up until Christmas, or else the Habs could be in serious trouble if neither he nor Montembeault can put together solid starts.
Brayden Schenn – St. Louis Blues (5)
Power Play Goal pic.twitter.com/x5kV705cq5— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) December 8, 2025
The game started with the Habs pushing to get an early lead but they weren’t able to solve Jordan Binnington before the Blues were able to open the scoring. It was Brayden Schenn who opened the scoring on the power play. The goal came off a bad bounce from Mike Matheson attempting to knock the puck out of the air, which landed on the Blues’ captain’s stick at the other side of the net, where Schenn was able to score an easy goal to give his team an early lead. This was just the beginning of the havoc that Schenn would inflict on the Habs.
LANE HUTSON ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! 😱
A HIGHLIGHT REEL GOAL TO TIE THE GAME AT ONE! pic.twitter.com/ntBuNbjcIT
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 8, 2025
Luckily, the Canadiens wouldn’t stay down 1-0 very long, as Zack Bolduc made a great pass to a pinching Lane Hutson, who deked out Binnington to tie the game up at 1. Jared Davidson, who got the puck to Bolduc along the boards, would record his first NHL point on the play. Davidson has proven to be a great forechecker and he’s finally been awarded on the scoresheet for his play along the walls. If he continues, it shouldn’t be long before he gets his first goal as well.
GOAL CAUFIELD STAYS RED HOT!! 🔥
His 11th straight game with a point! pic.twitter.com/t2ug213lWa
— NHL (@NHL) December 8, 2025
At the very end of the period, Cole Caufield’s original shot got blocked, but Noah Dobson kept the play alive in the offensive zone by feeding the puck to Nick Suzuki behind the net, who found Caufield at the side of the goal. Caufield put the puck in on his 2nd chance to give the Canadiens a 2-1 lead to end the opening frame. With his goal, Caufield extended his point streak to 11 games, tying the longest streak of his career.
Dylan Holloway ties the game up just 26 seconds into the second period! pic.twitter.com/ovZSpHMAAp
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 8, 2025
Unfortunately, the Habs’ lead would not last even 30 seconds into the 2nd period. After Jayden Struble made a bad pinch-up ice where nobody covered for him defensively, the Blues took advantage of a defensive breakdown to go on a 2-on-1 with Schenn and Dylan Holloway. Schenn fed Holloway with a perfect pass across the ice, and Dobes couldn’t make it to the other side of the net to stop the Blues forward’s shot, which meant the game was 2-2 just 26 seconds into the 2nd frame.
Pavel Buchnevich – St. Louis Blues (5) pic.twitter.com/GBznwVch64
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) December 8, 2025
The defensive mistakes didn’t end there for the Habs as just 39 seconds later, the Blues would capitalize once again. The play started with a weak clear by Dobson and ended with both Matheson and Suzuki allowing Pavel Buchnevich to sneak in all alone in front of the net, where he beat Dobes to give the Blues the lead once again. This goal was allowed based on the flawed man-to-man system where Habs players often lose their man in their defensive zone.
Despite the terrible start to the 2nd period, the Canadiens took control of the chances during the rest of the period, but Binnington stood on his head, stopping every puck that went his way during the middle frame.
That’s Brayden Schenn’s second of the night! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/DwtdNfQ32J
— NHL (@NHL) December 8, 2025
In the 3rd period, the Canadiens struggled to get consistent pressure in the offensive zone early on. Then halfway through the 3rd period, Holloway and Schenn would inflict themselves on yet another 2-on-1, where this time it was Holloway’s turn to set up his captain for a goal to put the Blues up 4-2.
After being scored on, the Canadiens started playing with more urgency again, which led to the Habs being able to cut the lead to 4-3. With just under 4 minutes left and Dobes pulled, Dobson would beat Binnington with a changeup one-timer from the point to give the Habs some life again.
A floater from Noah Dobson brings the game within one! pic.twitter.com/d1ljADlXD6
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 8, 2025
The Canadiens came close to tying the game in the last seconds when Suzuki made a Hail Mary pass to Caufield in front of the net, but he wasn’t able to get the puck past Binnington on the play, causing the Habs to take the loss.
There was a prime opportunity for the Habs to claim the top spot in the Atlantic on Sunday night, but they fell short. It was a tough loss, as this was a game that seemed winnable if not for the few defensive breakdowns that ended up in the back of the net.
The Canadiens will be looking to bounce back from their loss on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Bell Centre on Tuesday. This will be a tough opponent for the Habs, but there will be an opportunity to take the top spot in the Atlantic once again.
Do you think the game would have gone differently if Dobes hadn’t started for a 2nd straight night?
