ST. LOUIS — The Montreal Canadiens fell to a 2-0 shutout loss against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon at the Enterprise Center, unable to crack the netminding of Jordan Binnington despite entering the matchup with momentum from a recent scoring surge.
The Blues, who had played just 25 hours earlier in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at home, improved their standing with the win, while the Canadiens, who had enjoyed a day off and an optional practice, saw their seven-game road trip record slip to 3-1-2. This defeat came against a Blues team that entered the game with the NHL's worst goal differential at minus-41, highlighting the unexpected resilience shown by St. Louis on their home ice.
Binnington, recently named to Team Canada for the upcoming Winter Olympics, delivered a standout performance, securing his first shutout since a year earlier against Ottawa on the same date. Despite a rocky stretch where he had allowed three or more goals in seven of his last nine starts and won only one of his previous seven games, Binnington stonewalled the Canadiens throughout. His selection for the Olympic squad had raised eyebrows given his recent form, but Saturday's game silenced any doubters temporarily.
The Canadiens had been on a hot streak offensively, netting 20 goals across their previous four games, but they couldn't translate that form against Binnington. Montreal's first shot on goal didn't come until 5:40 into the first period, courtesy of defenseman Noah Dobson, with Cole Caufield not registering their second until 12:50. Brendan Gallagher was the most active forward early, leading with four of the team's eight shots after the first period, including a near-miss when he hit the post just two minutes into the game and again in the third.
The Blues struck first when a cross-ice pass from Zachary Bolduc, returning to St. Louis, intended for Jayden Struble, was intercepted, leading to a turnover and a goal by Jonatan Berggren. Berggren, in his eighth game with the Blues after being claimed off waivers from Detroit, now has three goals and five points with his new club. The second goal came midway through the second period on a shorthanded break, scored by Robert Thomas off a turnover by Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson. Thomas, who is on a five-game point streak against Montreal, capitalized during a Blues penalty kill.
Montreal's power play faltered completely, going 0-for-4, including a failed two-man advantage for 1:37 in the second period. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki reflected on the missed opportunities after the game, saying, “I thought our execution was poor to start the game. We weren’t able to capitalize on our offensive chances. That’s a big reason (why) we lost. I thought (Binnington) made some key saves for them that would have given us some momentum. Five-on-three, if we get one there, it puts us in a lot better spot.”
Forward Juraj Slafkovsky echoed the frustration, noting, “Execution wasn’t there. We should have scored on the power play — that’s for sure. It’s a little frustrating because we have all the weapons here to score a lot of goals. We had a good stretch, but it didn’t go in today. Good thing we play (Sunday).” The Canadiens started the second period strongly, with Suzuki getting the first shot just 16 seconds in, but they didn't register another until 8:50, again from Gallagher.
Defensively, there were bright spots for Montreal. Hutson broke up a two-on-one rush midway through the first, orchestrated by Thomas, showcasing his defensive chops despite the later turnover. The game clocked in at a brisk two hours and 28 minutes, with no scoring or penalties in the third period. Blues captain Brayden Schenn hit the post early in the frame, and Canadiens enforcer Arber Xhekaj delivered a clean hit on Otto Stenberg later on.
This marked the second shutout of the season for the Canadiens, who are now 0-1 without forward Josh Anderson in the lineup due to injury. Owen Beck returned to fill the void but saw limited ice time at 8:02. Goaltender Jacob Fowler posted an .895 save percentage in the loss. Gallagher finished with a team-high six shots but was minus-2, while Caufield had four. Dobson logged 27:23 of ice time with three shots, and Hutson played 28:03, adding two shots and three blocks. Mike Matheson, back from injury, blocked three shots but had three giveaways. Xhekaj contributed two hits in just 7:53. Montreal won 56.1 percent of faceoffs but was outhit 16-15.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Canadiens haven't won in St. Louis since 2022, with the Blues taking eight of the last 10 home games against them. Despite the loss, Montreal sits at 22-13-6 midway through their regular season, a step up from 20-18-3 at the same point last year after a three-game win streak. Their road record stands at 12-4-5, earning points in 17 of 21 away games, and they boast a 12-6-0 mark against Western Conference teams.
The road trip wraps up Sunday afternoon in Dallas against the Stars, who were idle Saturday and will be rested. The last meeting between these teams ended in a 7-0 home thrashing for Montreal on Nov. 13, adding pressure to the finale. As the Canadiens head into the break, their progress is evident, but converting chances remains key to sustaining momentum.
In a league where goaltending can swing outcomes, Binnington's performance underscored why he's an Olympian, even amid a slump. For Montreal, the focus shifts quickly to Dallas, where redemption against a familiar foe awaits. The Blues, meanwhile, gain a morale boost at home, potentially stabilizing their season amid their goal differential woes.
With the Olympics on the horizon, players like Binnington will carry this form into international play, while the Canadiens aim to build on their solid road showing. Saturday's game, though scoreless for Montreal, highlighted areas for growth in execution and power-play efficiency.