Yardbarker
x
Montembeault vs Ullmark: a duel between two goalkeepers who need to do better
David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Montembeault vs Ullmark: a duel between two goalkeepers who need to do better

Originally posted on Dose.ca  |  Last updated Nov 1, 2025 1:33 PM ET

The Montreal Canadiens return home tonight after playing their last four games on the road out West.

It’s the Habs’ first game at the Bell Centre in almost two weeks, and it pits them against a division rival in the Ottawa Senators.

It’s a very big and important game tonight, with the Senators currently three points behind the Habs in the standings with one more game to play.

In short, in preparation for this very important game, the Habs held a practice this morning at the Bell Centre, and of course, there were no surprises.

With currently 12 healthy forwards, six healthy defensemen and two healthy goaltenders, we know what Martin St-Louis’ line-up will look like tonight, and there’s really no mystery, given that no call-ups have been made.

And even for the starting goaltender, we’ve known for a few days that Samuel Montembeault will get his first start since October 23.

The Québécois will certainly be looking to bounce back tonight and redeem his poor start to the season, and the same goes for his Sens opponent Linus Ullmark.

Like Montembeault, Ullmark, the Sens’ #1 goaltender, is off to a rocky start for Ottawa.

  • Montembeault: 2-3-0, 3.82 goals-against average, 0.842 save percentage
  • Ullmark: 5-4-1, 3.36 goals-against-average, 0.862 save percentage

Even if his stats are a little better than Monty’s and he’s played double the number of games, Ullmark still has to be better.

He’s one of the Senators’ mainstays, and probably the main reason why the Sens made the playoffs last season.

So, the Swedish goalie will also be looking to get back on track and perform better tonight, when he has a great opportunity to redeem himself with a huge game at the Bell Centre.

In short, it’s a duel between two goalkeepers who aren’t performing at the top of their game at the moment, and who will be looking to bounce back.

It will be very interesting to see whether both goalkeepers put in strong performances, or whether one of them steals the show.

We could also see a stampede on either side if both goalies aren’t at their best, as has been the case since the start of the 2025-2026 campaign.


Overtime

– Very funny.

– Well said.

– This will be one to watch.

– Things are bad for the Wild.

– To be continued at 1pm.

This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.