The Montreal Canadiens took a step backward on home ice Tuesday night, falling 4-1 to the visiting Philadelphia Flyers in a game marked by a critical rookie mistake and a lack of finishing touch. The loss at the Bell Centre on December 16, 2025, dampened spirits as the team failed to capitalize on a Flyers squad mired in a slump.
A Costly Mistake and a Goaltender's Demotion
The game's turning point came late in the second period with the Flyers leading 2-1. Canadiens rookie netminder Jacob Fowler committed a glaring error, holding the puck behind his net for too long before losing it to Philadelphia's Matvei Michkov. Michkov fed Bobby Brink, who easily deposited the puck into the vacant cage. Fowler later called it a "brain cramp" and accepted responsibility for the turnover that essentially sealed the game.
In a related roster move, the Canadiens announced veteran goaltender Samuel Montembeault had been loaned to the AHL's Laval Rocket on a conditioning assignment. Montembeault, who hasn't played since December 2, agreed to the stint which can last up to 14 days. He is expected to rejoin the NHL club in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Flyers Capitalize on Opportunities
Philadelphia entered the game on a three-game losing streak but found their footing against Montreal. Alexandre Texier opened the scoring in the first period after a turnover by former Canadien Christian Dvorak. The Habs responded quickly, with Carl Grundstrom tying the game just 39 seconds later.
The Flyers regained the lead for good in the second period on a Trevor Zegras goal, created by a Ivan Demidov turnover. Zegras, acquired in an offseason trade, continues to be a steal for Philadelphia, now leading the team with 14 goals and 33 points. Flyers goalie Dan Vladar was stellar, stopping 21 of 22 shots for a .955 save percentage.
Post-Game Reactions and Stats
Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki pointed to missed chances early. "I thought we had a pretty good first period," Suzuki said. "We created some chances but just didn't score. They capitalized on some of their lucky breaks." Defenseman Lane Hutson, who logged a team-high 27:06 of ice time, called the loss "frustrating" but didn't believe it was a terrible performance overall.
The stat sheet revealed some of Montreal's struggles. The team was dominated in the faceoff circle, winning only 32.8 percent of draws. They were also outhit 23-21. Oliver Kapanen finished the night a team-worst minus-3, while several others, including Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov, were minus-2. Fowler's final save percentage was .850.
The loss drops Montreal's home record to 8-9-1 this season, a point of concern as they look to build consistency. The team will need to quickly regroup as they continue their schedule, having squandered a chance to gain ground against a vulnerable opponent.
