For the first time this season, the Bell Center was opening its doors for a Montreal Canadiens’ game (let’s face it, the Prospect Showdown just isn’t the same), and fans were ready, despite the STM strike making it tricky to get to the game.
While Martin St-Louis likes to say that he wants to feel the edge and the intensity right away, it’s normal to have to shake some rust in the preseason, and the Canadiens’ five-on-three power play was a perfect example of that. The synchronism just wasn’t there, but it’s important to remember that this new power play unit had never played together before (there were no power plays in team scrimmages).
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While the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup was nothing to write home about, it still managed to take a 1-0 lead back to the dressing room after 20 minutes, with a 12-7 edge in shots in a period that saw more than its fair share of penalties. There was one bright side for the Habs, however, whenever an opponent tried to take liberties with Ivan Demidov, there was a teammate ready to step up. First, it was Noah Dobson, and then it was Josh Anderson.
Speaking after the game, the coach said:
We want to be a pack; we’re all in this together. We want to be a pack, and I’m not surprised he [Anderson] did that. It’s not the first time, and it’s not going to be the last.- St-Louis on his players standing up for Demidov
Speaking of Anderson, he picked up right where he left off last season, finishing his checks and trying to be a nuisance on the forecheck, but he ended up being assessed two penalties. The power forward felt hard done by, having looked to the referees several times for penalties he believed should have been called for infractions against him. The six penalties awarded in the first frame made it tough for the teams to establish any rhythm.
If Raphael Harvey-Pinard was expecting a warm reception from his former teammates, Mike Matheson reminded him that he had changed teams by obliterating him as he was trying to poke the puck free from Samuel Montembeault’s grip.
Things went from bad to worse for the Canadiens in the second frame. They were stuck in their own zone for much of the period and only managed to create some opportunities towards the end of the 20 minutes. Jake Evans, Brendan Gallagher, and Anderson created three chances in a single sequence, but only one of those chances led to a shot on goal. Gallagher shot above the net, while Evans got the puck between the goalie’s legs but wide.
A last-minute power play also produced a few opportunities in the last minute, but Montreal was once more unable to convert. After 40 minutes, the Penguins had tested the Habs' goaltenders 26 times while the Tricolore only had 15 shots. Jacob Fowler took over halfway through the game, and while he only faced five shots, he was solid and had good puck tracking.
At the other end of the ice, Sergei Murashov performed well in the Pens’ net in relief of Joel Blomqvist, showcasing his potential as a promising prospect. He was also very effective in the shootout, not biting at all on Demidov’s deke. Jared Davidson got the crowd to its feet when he dropped his gloves against Samuel Poulin after the Quebecer had hit Alex Belzile with a questionable hit. The purpose seemed to be twofold: retaliation and attempting to wake up his side. The fifth-round pick at the 2022 draft made a lasting impression on St-Louis:
I thought it was a great fight. There was no hesitation. I think he’s a gamer, Davidson. Ever since I’ve seen him play, I feel he’s a gamer. He’ll do whatever the game needs him to do. I think he’s hungry, he wants to play at this level, he’ll do whatever, and he actually has a scoring touch too. […] I feel as a team, I love our skill level, and the way we play together, I love that, but we need to add some sandpaper to our game a little bit.- St-Louis on Davidson
It took some time, but the Canadiens eventually got it together, playing a much stronger third period, with rookies leading the charge. The power play failed to convert on its second two-man advantage, but the Habs built up momentum, and Owen Beck finally broke the ice a couple of minutes into the final frame. It wasn’t a pretty goal; Murashov had already made a couple of saves on the play, and the Canadiens’ center picked up the garbage on the doorstep, but that doesn’t happen without his persistence and dedication.
Montreal took 14 shots on net during that frame, but Murashov stopped the 13 others while Fowler stopped everything that was thrown his way, including a game-saving effort that resulted in the crowd loudly chanting his name.
Overall, it wasn’t a pretty game for the Canadiens, but they stuck with it. It was definitely a good warm-up for their goalkeepers, though, and Fowler’s brilliance in the shootout allowed them to skate away with the win, although they were outplayed for much of the game. Demidov didn’t make much of an impact at even strength, but the way he was able to thread the needle on some cross-ice passes on the man-advantage was nothing short of spectacular; had his target had a better finish, overtime wouldn’t have been necessary. While Oliver Kapanen didn't have a brilliant game, he came up big in the shootout with the win clinching goal.
The goalie doesn’t bite on Demidov’s deke #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/hseom7ZHA4
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) September 23, 2025
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