Canadiens’ Sam Montembeault tore groin, Patrik Laine broke finger during playoffs

A number of players were going through some significant injuries during the Metropolitan Division Semifinals.

During the team’s locker-clean-out day on Friday, it was revealed that Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault suffered a torn groin during Game 3 of the team’s first-round series against the Washington Capitals.

Also, forwards Patrik Laine and Joel Armia have also been battling hand injuries, with Laine suffering from a broken finger and Armia having fractured his hand during the regular season.

Montembeault had been the Canadiens’ backbone for just about the entire season, having earned the No. 1 title for the playoffs. Unfortunately, in the second period of Game 3, the Becancour, Quebec native got hurt and had to leave the game. That led to rookie Jakub Dobes stepping in, and though the Czech netminder played well, earning the win last Friday, Montreal ended up falling to the Capitals in five games.

Laine broke his finger early on in the series in Washington, D.C. It led to the Finnish sniper missing the final three contests of the series.

“I broke my finger in the second game,” Laine said on Friday. “I couldn’t really hold my stick, and shooting is what I do. I was disappointed.”

Laine’s absence certainly hurt the Canadiens’ scoring attack. In his first year with the team, he scored 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games.

Armia apparently fractured his left hand all the way back on March 11 against the Vancouver Canucks. The ailment kept the longtime Hab out for just one game, resulting in Armia playing in 81 games during the regular season and all five games in the playoffs.

The Finnish center mustered up two assists in the series against the Caps. It came after Armia scored 29 points during the regular season, the most since the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season.

The 2024-25 season marked the Canadiens first playoff berth since 2021.