Montreal’s 2025-26 season saw a great start, but it is slowing down now. The Canadiens have demonstrated their ability to compete with strong teams, but inconsistency has raised questions about the extent to which this roster can progress.

With another challenging game behind them, attention now turns to their goaltending, which has struggled at key moments. Their next matchup against the Winnipeg Jets provides an opportunity to regain some stability, though challenges remain.

Montreal Canadiens’ Goaltending Troubles Reach Breaking Point in Loss to Senators

The Montreal Canadiens faced a tough setback on Tuesday, losing 5-2 to the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Centre. Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky provided Montreal’s two goals, with Cole Caufield assisting on both. Still, defensive lapses and inconsistent starting in the net allowed four unanswered goals by the second period, reflecting ongoing struggles in the crease.

Jakub Dobes has shown more consistency in limited action, but has not been used enough to provide a complete solution to the goal. Ottawa took advantage of high-danger chances, with Brady Tkachuk scoring his first goal of the season and Drake Batherson adding to Montreal’s difficulties. The Canadiens’ defense struggled to contain the Senators, who quickly took control of the game.

Caufield, selected 15th overall by Montreal in the 2019 NHL Draft, expressed clear frustration with the defensive effort. He pointed to missed coverage and lost puck battles as the leading causes behind the loss.

“Our whole ‘D’ zone today was lack of maybe effort or being ready to go, but I’m tired of losing due to ‘D’ zone 1-on-1 battles,” Caufield said, via NHL.com.

“I mean, you’ve got to find your guy and you’ve got to win that battle and keep him on the outside and do your job. I think most of their goals came off our mistakes and our issues with not picking guys up, and it’s unacceptable. We’ve got to be a lot better than that, and if we do that, we find ourselves in a closer game tonight.”

The goaltending issues have also drawn attention around the league. Sportsnet further pointed out Montreal’s .844 save percentage in the second period, the lowest in the NHL, highlighting the team’s vulnerability in key moments. These struggles have made it difficult for Montreal to maintain leads or stay competitive in close games.

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Offensively, the Canadiens had some bright spots, including a power-play goal from Suzuki and Slafkovsky, but scoring opportunities were not enough to change the outcome. The game showed the need for steadier goaltending to match the team’s offensive capabilities.

Looking ahead, Montreal will face the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 3 at 7:30 PM ET. Both Montembeault and Dobes will need to improve their performances, and the team must tighten its defense to remain competitive. The game presents an opportunity for Montreal to regain its balance and build momentum in the Atlantic Division.