Martin St-Louis confirms a Canadiens change that few saw coming
Brendan Gallagher is back in focus after Martin St-Louis ordered a full morning skate before Game 6 at the Bell Centre.
That call stood out right away because it broke from the rhythm Martin St-Louis had followed over the last few games in this series, not having a single practice during these times.
The Canadiens will be on the ice at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Montreal, giving the coaching staff one more chance to sort out details before puck drop.
That matters because Montreal can end the series tonight against the Buffalo Sabres and punch its ticket to the Eastern Conference final.
It also opens the door to lineup clues that were harder to read earlier in the week when the club leaned into rest instead of extra work.
Brendan Gallagher is the name to watch. If he draws in, this skate could offer the clearest sign yet that Martin St-Louis wants a different look for a closeout game.
Martin St-Louis shifts the tone before a massive night
The change is sharp when stacked against the last two pregame decisions.
Wednesday's full practice in Brossard was cancelled before Game 5.
Thursday's morning skate at KeyBank Center was also called off, which made the strategy easy to read. Save energy, stay fresh, and keep the group loose.
This time, Martin St-Louis is going the other way.
That suggests he wants more structure, more pace, and a tighter feel going into a game with real weight.
Special teams could be part of the reason.
A mandatory skate gives the staff time to revisit power-play touches, penalty-kill reads, and late-game assignments.
That kind of session can also settle the bench before a pressure game, especially with the Canadiens holding a 3-2 series lead and one win from moving on.
The stakes are simple.
Win at home and the job is done. Lose, and the Canadiens are heading back to Buffalo for a Game 7 on Monday night.
Saturday's puck drop is set for 8 p.m. at the Bell Centre. Before that, Martin St-Louis has already made one message clear: he does not want this night treated like any other.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 14, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Nick Suzuki | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Juraj Slafkovsky | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Pavel Dorofeyev | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Ivan Demidov | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mitch Marner | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Phillip Danault | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Josh Anderson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cole Caufield | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Josh Doan | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jake Evans | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mikael Granlund | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Konsta Helenius | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alexandre Texier | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jason Zucker | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Leo Carlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||