The Ducks started off a four-game eastern road trip with a 5-0 loss to the Canadiens at Bell Centre in Montreal. This was Anaheim’s second consecutive loss after the All-Star Break, leaving them with a season record of 18-32-2. Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki were the key offensive players for the Canadiens, each earning three points. Cayden Primeau achieved his first career NHL shutout with 13 saves.
On the Ducks’ side, rookie defenseman Pavel Mintyukov made a return to the lineup after an 11-game absence due to a separated shoulder. In the game, he skated alongside Ilya Lyubushkin and registered one shot on net in 15:28 of ice-time. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves in the Ducks’ net. The Ducks were unable to score in the first period, allowing Montreal to take a 2-0 lead with two goals from 2-on-1 rushes.
The first goal was scored by Evans, who capitalized on a pass from Tanner Pearson. Suzuki then extended the lead with a goal from a backdoor pass from Slafkovsky, who had an impressive three-point performance. The Montreal captain has now scored in four consecutive games. Looking ahead, the Ducks will play their next game on Thursday in Ottawa as part of their ongoing four-game road trip.