Canadiens shield Jakub Dobes after costly overtime penalty against Sharks

Jakub Dobes made a costly overtime mistake, and Martin St-Louis' Canadiens followed with a move that immediately drew attention as he was not made available to the media.

The Montreal Canadiens did not make their young goaltender available to reporters following Tuesday night's frustrating loss to the San Jose Sharks, leaving questions unanswered after another difficult outing.

Dobes found himself at the center of the controversy after taking an unnecessary interference penalty in overtime, handing San Jose a power-play opportunity with the game on the line.

Macklin Celebrini capitalized, scoring the overtime winner and leaving Montreal with a 4-3 defeat after the Canadiens had surrendered a two-goal lead.

The penalty was particularly frustrating because Montreal had possession of the puck when Dobes interfered with Sharks forward Collin Graf near his crease.

Then came the postgame development. Montreal Gazette columnist Stu Cowan reported that Dobes was not made available to the media following the game.

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For a goaltender already facing questions about his confidence and consistency, that decision added another layer to an increasingly uncomfortable situation.

Dobes' reset game vs. Sharks backfires

Dobes entered Tuesday's matchup looking for a reset after a difficult stretch. Instead, his return to the crease ended with another mistake that directly influenced the outcome.

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The timing couldn't have been worse. Montreal had an opportunity to close out a home victory, only to watch another promising night slip away.

St-Louis now faces a delicate decision concerning his goaltending rotation, especially with Jacob Fowler pushing for additional opportunities following his recent performances.

Keeping Dobes away from microphones may have spared him difficult questions immediately after the loss. It also leaves the coaching staff responsible for explaining how the goaltender moves forward.

There is no confirmed indication that Montreal plans to demote Dobes or remove him permanently from the rotation. But another start can no longer be treated as an automatic decision.

The Canadiens need their goaltender to regain confidence without allowing individual mistakes to dictate results. That balance becomes harder to maintain when the pressure keeps increasing.

For Dobes, the next development will matter more than the postgame silence. Whether St-Louis returns to him or turns toward Fowler could reveal where Montreal's confidence truly stands.

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