BROSSARD, Que. — The message was simple, delivered swiftly and pointedly, both through words and actions by Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis.

After a seventh loss in their last eight games, a fifth in a row which seemed to irk him more than the others, St. Louis pushed his players through what he termed their “most intense practice of the season.” Then he met with them and hammered home the one point he hopes resonates most ahead of a critical matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre Saturday (Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT).

“I saw things yesterday that it’s gotta stop now,” he said. “For me, it’s the actions that help the other team.”

The Canadiens resorted to them after goaltender Samuel Montembeault put them in the hole b

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