The Montreal Canadiens sent Sam Montembeault, who began the season as the team’s No. 1 goalie, to the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket on a conditioning assignment Tuesday.
The Rocket said he would join the team in Cleveland and practise Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s game against the Monsters.
Per the NHL-NHLPA collective bargaining agreement, Montembeault, who’s on a one-way contract, would have had to agree to the conditioning loan, which cannot extend past 14 days.
Montembeault has struggled to a 5-6-1 record with a 3.65 goals-against average and .857 save percentage after becoming a solid starter over the past two seasons and featuring on Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster last February.
The 29-year-old from Becancour, Que., last started on Dec. 2 in a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, giving up five goals on 29 shots in an ugly defensive performance for the Canadiens.
He then entered in relief for Jakub Dobes in a 6-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 9, allowing three goals on 13 shots.
The poor showing from both goalies this season — and that night — prompted the call-up of goalie prospect Jacob Fowler from Laval.
Fowler was set to make his third career start, and first in Montreal, Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 21-year-old American made 36 saves in his debut, helping the Canadiens win 4-2 over the Pittsburgh Penguins last Thursday. He then lost his first game Saturday as Montreal squandered a 3-0 lead in a 5-4 overtime defeat to the New York Rangers.
Dobes made 27 saves in Montreal’s 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.
In other news, the Canadiens announced defenceman Mike Matheson was day-to-day with an upper-body injury and would miss Tuesday’s game.
The 31-year-old from Pointe-Claire, Que., has four goals and 12 assists in 32 games this season. He also leads the Canadiens with an average ice time of 24 minutes 54 seconds.
