Martin St-Louis spotlights 3 Canadiens led by Juraj Slafkovsky after Game 1 win in Tampa Bay



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Photo of Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis addressing media post game 1 win vs Tampa Bay.

Photo credit: Screenshot

We witnessed some great moments and strong statements after the Montreal Canadiens’ win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Martin St-Louis’ message spoke volumes.

Jakub Dobes. Ivan Demidov. Juraj Slafkovsky.

Those are the three names St-Louis chose to highlight after Game 1.

First, the goaltender. St-Louis emphasized Dobes’ strong performance in net, as he was making his first career NHL playoff start.

Yes, he played last year after Samuel Montembeault’s injury against the Capitals, but the context was completely different.

The head coach praised the outstanding performance of the 20-year-old, who finished the season as the NHL’s top rookie scorer.

And of course, Slafkovsky.

A playoff hat trick for the 22-year-old Slovak.

Canadiens youth core takes center stage as St-Louis highlights fearless playoff impact

These are three key young players St-Louis chose to spotlight after the win.

The message is clear: the Montreal Canadiens’ youth is fearless and ready to take control in the 2026 playoffs.

It’s really something to see.

To watch the full Montreal Canadiens press conferences following this win live from Tampa Bay, it’s right here:

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Martin St-Louis spotlights 3 Canadiens led by Juraj Slafkovsky after Game 1 win in Tampa Bay

Aside from Slafkovsky, who was the best player for the Canadiens on Sunday night, in your opinion?