Canadiens Caught Sleeping as Senators Deliver Crucial Wake-Up Call
Let’s just say this right off the top: thank you, Senators! Not sarcastically—but sincerely. Because if there’s one team that might’ve done Martin St-Louis and the Canadiens a real favor right now, it’s the Ottawa Senators. Friday night’s 5-2 loss? That wasn’t just another L on the board. That was a cold splash of reality, and one that this team clearly needed.
You know those warning signs that keep getting ignored until something crashes? That was the Habs’ string of sloppy, disjointed starts lately. It’s been brewing—against Detroit, Nashville, Philly—game after game with poor opening periods. And Ottawa? They weren’t about to let that slide.
The Senators came out flying. Shane Pinto scored just 28 seconds in, and from there, the tone was set. They were faster, hungrier, and flat-out more committed than Montreal at every turn. It wasn’t just about the goals. It was about the effort. They beat the Canadiens to every puck, won every key battle along the boards, and never let up for sixty minutes. That’s the kind of playoff-level intensity you want to see… from your own team.
But instead, it was the Sens sending the message: show up, or get shown up.
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Martin St-Louis has been preaching about bad starts for weeks. But maybe the players just needed to feel the pain of another ugly loss before truly getting it. Ottawa didn’t even have their emotional leader, Brady Tkachuk, and still managed to dominate. Meanwhile, the Canadiens looked like they were still warming up halfway through the second.
And let’s talk about the numbers for a second. In their last 11 games, Montreal’s been outscored 15-5 in the first period and outshot 127-68. That’s not just a stat line—that’s a symptom of a bigger issue.
Yes, resilience has been a storyline all year. They’ve clawed back in 21 games, with 10 of those comebacks happening in the third period. That’s incredible. But let’s not forget: always playing catch-up eventually catches up with you.
This game was also a reminder that talent alone doesn’t carry a team. That’s where the hype around Ivan Demidov comes in. Sure, the excitement is real. And yes, the temptation to throw him into the lineup ASAP is strong—especially with how toothless the power play has been lately (0-for-11 in the last six games, just two goals in the last 24 chances). Demidov could be the spark this team desperately needs. But even a player like him can’t fix a team that’s not ready to fight from the drop of the puck.
So here we are. The playoffs are still within reach. Technically, a few miracles from rival teams would be needed to push the Canadiens out. But Friday night proved that nothing is guaranteed—not if you come out flat. That kind of effort doesn’t win playoff games. Heck, it barely earns regular-season respect.
The next challenge is Toronto. The message from Ottawa should still be ringing in their ears. It’s time to stop relying on magic comebacks. Time to start playing 60 full minutes. Because if the Habs are going to make any noise in the playoffs, it starts with not hitting snooze at puck drop.
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