Canadiens vs. Oilers Recap: Habs’ Montembeault Shuts Down Edmonton

It was Montembeault’s second shutout of the season, following a 48-save performance in the season opener against Toronto. Brendan Gallagher, Kaiden Guhle, and Jake Evans—into an empty net—scored for Montreal, which matched its longest winning streak of the season with two consecutive victories. The Oilers saw their four-game point streak snapped and lost their second game in a row.

First Period

The first 20 minutes were a goaltending showcase, with Montembeault and Calvin Pickard both making critical saves. The Oilers had their opportunities, including a golden chance created by Connor McDavid for Zach Hyman, but Hyman missed the open net, leading to frustration for the Oilers. Edmonton had two power-play chances but failed to capitalize, as Montembeault made key stops against Nugent-Hopkins, McDavid, and Hyman. The period ended scoreless, with the Canadiens keeping the Oilers to the perimeter.

Second Period

Montreal finally broke the deadlock late in the second. With just 31 seconds left, Brendan Gallagher redirected a hard pass from Mike Matheson over Pickard’s glove to give the Canadiens a 1-0 lead. The Oilers struggled offensively, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl unable to generate significant scoring chances. The Canadiens’ defense kept Edmonton’s forwards at bay, and Montembeault continued to frustrate the Oilers with timely saves. The Habs took a 1-0 lead into the second intermission.

Third Period

Montreal doubled their lead just under six minutes into the third period. Kaiden Guhle, back after an earlier injury scare, took a feed from Cole Caufield and fired a wrister from the left face-off circle, beating Pickard to the stick side. The Canadiens played with increased confidence, and Edmonton seemed to lack the energy to mount a comeback. Jake Evans sealed the game with an empty-net goal with just over three minutes remaining, making it 3-0 and effectively ending the contest. Montembeault was solid throughout, including a key pad save on a partial break from Jeff Skinner midway through the third, which earned him “Monty! Monty!” chants from the crowd. Montreal outshot Edmonton 11-9 in the final period, and their penalty kill denied all three of the Oilers’ power-play opportunities.

Habs vs. Oilers Betting Recap

The Canadiens entered the game as +1.5 underdogs, with the Oilers favored by -1.5. Montreal not only covered the puckline but also pulled off the outright upset, winning 3-0. The moneyline for the Canadiens was +230, making it a profitable bet for those backing Montreal. The total for the game was set at 6, and with only three goals scored, the under comfortably hit. The Canadiens improved to 7-10-1-1, building some momentum, while the Oilers fell to 9-8-2, snapping their four-game point streak. Looking ahead, the Oilers wrap up their road trip in Ottawa on Tuesday, while the Canadiens host the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.