Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis has expressed his confidence in goaltender Samuel Montembeault, naming him the starting goalie for the second consecutive game. This announcement came after Tuesday's optional morning skate at the Bell Centre, where St. Louis confirmed Montembeault will face the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m.

Montembeault has a record of 3-3, with a goals-against average of 3.66 and a save percentage of .839. In contrast, teammate Jakub Dobes boasts an impressive 6-0 record, a 1.97 GAA, and a .930 save percentage. Montembeault's last outing was a 4-3 overtime victory against the Ottawa Senators, where he made 14 saves while the Canadiens outshot the Senators 27-17. St. Louis noted that the first two goals against Montembeault were due to bad bounces, but acknowledged that the third goal, scored by Tim Stutzle, was a result of a skillful backhand move.

When asked about the importance of having a clear No. 1 goalie versus a rotation system, similar to what the Boston Bruins employed last season, St. Louis responded thoughtfully. "I don’t know. You just need that position to be solid. And sometimes you’re going to have one guy that takes the workload way more. I anticipate Monty to take that workload and we’re trying to help him (feel) good about his game so he can take that workload. I feel like another game today, I think he can get some rhythm and hopefully it helps him," he said.

Montembeault has shown consistency over the past three seasons, with save percentages of .901, .903, and .902. He has 212 games of NHL experience, while Dobes has played only 22 games. St. Louis's decision to support Montembeault early in the season reflects his desire for the goalie to regain his form. Additionally, St. Louis has a reliable backup in Dobes should Montembeault face challenges.

In preparation for the game against the Flyers, St. Louis will make one lineup change, moving Brendan Gallagher to a line with Kirby Dach and Zachary Bolduc, while Joe Veleno will join Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. Gallagher has yet to score this season, recording six assists in the first 12 games, a drop from his 21 goals last season. St. Louis believes this change will help Gallagher focus less on defensive responsibilities.

Cole Caufield leads the Canadiens with 10 goals this season, tying him for the NHL lead alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Hughes. Caufield will face familiar opponents in Flyers players Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras. Dvorak, who was Caufield's teammate and roommate in Montreal, signed a one-year, $5.4 million contract with Philadelphia, while Zegras was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks.

Caufield reflected on the matchup, saying, "It’s going to be weird seeing him on the other side. We had a pre-season game earlier this year, and it’s always fun to see old friends again. But, at the same time, he’s a good player we got to take care of." Dvorak has recorded three goals and three assists in 12 games with the Flyers, while Zegras has four goals and nine assists.

Caufield praised Zegras's strong start to the season, stating, "He’s obviously gotten off to a good start. It’s good to see. He loves hockey and loves playing the game. He’s in a good spot right now with a good group around him." Reflecting on his time with Dvorak, Caufield noted, "I think he was a pro. Day in, day out, just how he took care of himself on and off the ice. It was something I learned a lot from. It’s tough to see him go, but everybody kind of moves on at some point and it’s good to see him having a good time."