Photo of Samuel Blais scoring a shootout goal

Photo credit: Screenshot

The Canadiens return from a long Western road trip with four points in three games, while the Laval Rocket keep driving conversation with a strong performance.

This stretch of two wins in three outings gives a small cushion in the standings, especially after a difficult stop in Colorado on Saturday. Montreal now shows four points out of six since Wednesday and will return to the Bell Centre this Tuesday with a group that seems to be finding its rhythm again.Meanwhile, a new face has decided to throw some fuel onto the conversation. Claimed off waivers earlier this week, Samuel Blais played his first game with the Laval Rocket on Saturday, and he made an impact right away in the first period.

At 29 years old, the Quebec forward fully intends to earn himself a spot when the team returns to Montreal.

Samuel Blais takes matters into his own hands with the Laval Rocket

Blais opened the scoring by netting his first goal of the night before responding again with the tying goal late in the third period. The Rocket were trailing, but number 79 tied the game with only 37 seconds left to play.

His impact continued in the shootout, where he scored the winning goal, completing a night of two goals and the decisive tally.

Let’s be honest: this type of performance never goes unnoticed. This game in Laval is a reminder that he can still produce reliably when he has confidence. At 29, he remains a physical player with a clear role identity, and he has just made the decision much more complicated for management.

According to what is circulating around the club, his call-up could happen as soon as the Canadiens return to Montreal, provided a roster spot opens up. Jared Davidson could be sent back to Laval, and Florian Xhekaj could also be reassigned to the AHL club.

This game doesn’t guarantee anything, but it forces an immediate discussion. And when a player pushes this hard, it is rarely ignored within an organization that wants to maintain daily competitiveness.

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Samuel Blais’ incredible Rocket debut puts pressure on St-Louis’ roster decisions

Does Samuel Blais deserve an immediate call-up with the Montreal Canadiens?