Habs’ supporting cast steps up in Winnipeg
With a three-week layoff for the Olympics looming, the Montreal Canadiens were in Manitoba on Wednesday night to meet the Winnipeg Jets. There was a problem, however, as most of the roster looked to have already checked out for that layoff. The lowly Jets were in full control of the game from the opening puck drop, and the Habs looked flustered for the better part of the first two periods. But they pulled another rabbit out of their hat, finding the scoring they needed to take a 5-1 win that pushed them into second in the Atlantic Division for the time being.
In the most fitting of performances for a Bottom Six Minutes, it was the supporting cast that stepped up and won this game for the Habs.
Josh Anderson with some absurd backhand sauce to Lane Hutson, and he goes cookie jar to make it 3-1 #Habs pic.twitter.com/MnA2g8TuRp
— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) February 5, 2026
This game may well be remembered as that Josh Anderson game. With the Habs seemingly struggling to find their legs, he was pushing the pace all night, using his speed and physicality to back off a Jets team that spent an inordinate amount of time in the offensive zone. This team is not built for him to be the hero, but he was. The usual heroes weren’t up to their standard, and he picked up where they couldn’t to propel the team to an important win.
Brendan Gallagher matched that energy, and though his legs might no longer be capable of the things that Anderson’s are, his heart is undeniable. Few players need the time off as much as he probably does, but he rocked up to the arena ready to make a difference for the Habs when they needed him the most. He drove the net, he went to the corners and along the walls with purpose, and he dragged the Jets into his kind of game. Anderson and Gallagher combined for six points on the night, and there’s no way the Habs are heading into their time off on a high note without those two.
And let’s not forget goaltending. They got that too.
Big save by Montembeault on Niederreiter. pic.twitter.com/P3spKLcKKd
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) February 5, 2026
Samuel Montembeault hadn’t even played a game in a week and a half, has essentially been usurped as the starting goaltender, but turned in perhaps his best performance of the season. What the future holds for him is unclear at this point, but his counterpart needed a night off. He shouldn’t have been needed as much as he was in that game, but he donned a new mask and looked like a rejuvenated version of himself. Even with the secondary scoring they got, this could have been a barn burner if he played an average game. They ran away with this one because he was excellent between the pipes.
Overall, this isn’t a game you would want to replicate against a non-playoff team. The score was convincing, but they should be more convincing in terms of control. That said, it is a wonderful thing to know that when their big dogs can’t win a game for them, they have a supporting cast that will.
They go to the break having earned nine of a possible 10 points in their final five contests. They couldn’t be in a better spot right now.
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