Renee: The defense is crumbling. The neutral zone is a sieve. And tonight, the Montreal Canadiens have to walk into Toronto and face the full force of the Maple Leafs with their back against the wall. If they don’t fix these gaps, the season starts in overtime—and not in Montreal’s favor.
Joel: That’s a harsh opening, Renee, but looking at last night’s loss to Ottawa, it’s the only honest assessment we can make right now. Sasha Pastujov was brilliant, but everyone else left huge lanes open for the Senators.
Renee: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, where we break down the NHL one shift at a time. I’m Renee, and this is your daily preview for the Montreal Canadiens. Joining me is Joel, who’s ready to dissect exactly what went wrong in Ottawa and how to fix it before puck drop in Toronto.