Canadiens Starting Goalie Leaves Game 3 With Injury

The Montreal Canadiens will be without their starting goalie for the remainder of Game 3.

Apr 25, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault (35) stops Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd (26) with the help of teammate defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) during the first period in game three of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

The Montreal Canadiens will have to finish Game 3 against the Washington Capitals with a rookie goalie between the pipes. About halfway through the second period during a commercial break, Canadiens’ starting goalie Sam Montembeault left the ice and was replaced by 23-year-old Jakub Dobes.

No official reason for Montembeault’s departure was given by the Canadiens, but he appeared to suffer some sort of injury. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Montembeault seemed bothered by something in his left leg.

As the Canadiens hit the ice for the final period, Dobes led the team to the ice and Montembeault did not follow. The Canadiens did not provide any more update than Montembeault would not return to the game.

Montembeault stopped 11 of the 13 shots he had faced through 31 minutes of game time and the Canadiens entered the second intermission with a 3-2 lead. He is not returning to the game due to a lower-body injury.

The rookie Dobes played 16 games during the regular season picking up a 7-4-3 record. In his NHL debut, he stopped 34 shots in a shutout win over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

The Canadiens entered Game 3 already down 2-0 in the series to the Capitals.

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