Martin St-Louis confirms a risky Game 5 decision that could haunt the Canadiens

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Skyler Walker
May 14, 2026  (10:20)

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Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Nick Suzuki heads into Game 5 with Martin St-Louis betting rest will fix Montreal's power play.

That's the call drawing heat around the Canadiens on Thursday morning.

With the season hanging over one night against the Buffalo Sabres, St-Louis chose not to hold a morning skate.

The timing is what makes it land so hard.

Montreal's power play scored just 1 goal on 7 chances in the last game, and that unit has been one of the soft spots in this series.

Instead of getting the group back on the ice for reps, video, and a few clean touches, the Canadiens handed the room a second straight day off.

That puts recovery ahead of adjustment.

You can understand the logic in a heavy playoff round. Bodies are banged up, shifts are longer, and every top-six forward is carrying extra mileage by this point.

But this isn't a normal spot on the schedule. This is the biggest game Montreal has faced all season, and the power play is the one area that clearly needed a reset.

That's where the decision starts to feel risky.

A light skate would not have drained the bench, and it could have given the first unit a chance to clean up entries, spacing, and puck movement.

The contrast with Buffalo only sharpens the story. While Montreal stayed off the ice, the Sabres were back at work for 2 days, using the gap to tighten details before puck drop.

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So now the pressure shifts straight onto St-Louis. If the Canadiens come out flat on special teams again, this choice will sit at the center of the postgame conversation.

And if Montreal wins, the coach will look like he read the room perfectly.

Fresh legs can matter as much as structure when a series starts turning into a survival test.

Either way, there's no hiding from the result tonight.

The Canadiens are walking into Game 5 without a final on-ice correction, and that makes every power-play touch feel bigger.

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., and that's when St-Louis gets his answer.

Rest can calm a locker room, but only a sharp response can justify a gamble like this.

Previously

The real reason why the Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch quickly comes to light

Lindy Ruff calls out two Montreal Canadiens players as 'diving' frustration grows

Edmonton Oilers officially announce the firing of a once beloved member of the staff: Kris Knoblauch is gone

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2 HOURS AGO   |   181 ANSWERS Martin St-Louis confirms a risky Game 5 decision that could haunt the Canadiens Did Martin St-Louis make the right call by skipping the morning skate before Game 5 ?

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▢    No

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