Canadiens Sweep Ontario Back-to-Back After Gritty Victory Over Senators

The Montreal Canadiens continued their late-season surge on Wednesday night, securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. In a game defined by high-intensity divisional rivalry and stellar goaltending, Ivan Demidov proved to be the difference-maker, netting the game-winning goal with just over seven minutes remaining in regulation. The win marks Montreal’s third consecutive victory and completes a perfect sweep of their mid-week Ontario road trip following a win against Toronto the previous night.

Montreal’s young core was at the forefront of the effort. Juraj Slafkovsky opened the scoring early in the first period on the power play, assisted by the ever-dangerous Demidov and captain Nick Suzuki. Despite the early lead, the Senators roared back with two goals from Drake Batherson, who capitalized on a strong offensive push led by Tim Stützle. Stützle’s two assists on the night extended his personal point streak to an incredible 14 games, further cementing his status as one of the league’s premier playmakers.

The Canadiens found their equalizer late in the second period when Alexandre Texier, filling in on the top line for an ill Cole Caufield, executed a perfect wraparound to beat Linus Ullmark. This set the stage for Demidov's heroics in the final frame. The rookie phenom pounced on a rebound from an Alex Newhook shot, burying the puck to give Montreal the lead for good. The goal was Demidov's 14th of the season and his 51st point, placing him in a tie for the NHL rookie scoring lead.

Between the pipes, Jacob Fowler was sensational in his return to the NHL. Recalled from the Laval Rocket earlier in the day, Fowler stopped 32 of 34 shots, including several desperation saves in the final minutes to preserve the win. His performance comes at a critical time as the Canadiens look for stability in the crease amidst the struggles of veteran Sam Montembeault. With this victory, Montreal moves to a 36-18-10 record, maintaining their third-place standing in the Atlantic Division.

Special recognition was also given to veteran Jake Evans, who suited up for his 400th career NHL game. Evans has been a model of consistency for the Habs, currently riding a six-game point streak. The Canadiens now return home to host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, while the Senators, falling to 32-22-9, will look to regroup when they host the Anaheim Ducks.