Ouch! A brutal 7-0 shutout can sting, but losing a key player to injury on top of it? That's a night Montreal Canadiens fans would rather forget. The Dallas Stars dominated Thursday night's game, but the Canadiens' Alex Newhook suffered an apparent leg injury, adding insult to injury.
Jason Robertson led the charge for the Stars, racking up two goals and an assist. Goaltender Casey DeSmith was a brick wall, stopping all 23 shots he faced. But it wasn't just Robertson; Wyatt Johnston, celebrating his 100th career goal, Esa Lindell, Tyler Seguin, Colin Blackwell, and Alexander Petrovic all found the back of the net for Dallas. Radek Faksa contributed three assists, while Mikko Rantanen chipped in with two, showcasing the Stars' impressive depth. This marks DeSmith's first shutout of the season, and the Stars' second overall in this young 2025-26 season.
On the other side of the ice, things were far less rosy. Jakub Dobes, who started the season strong with six consecutive wins, struggled, allowing five goals on just 13 shots through two periods. Sam Montembeault replaced him in the third, but couldn't stem the tide, conceding two more goals on four shots. This marks Dobes' second consecutive loss. And this is the part most people miss: goalkeeping can be a brutal position when the skaters in front are not performing.
Before the game, the Canadiens held the top spot in the Atlantic Division. But here's where it gets controversial... some fans are starting to question if their early-season success was a fluke, as they've now lost their second straight game and their fourth in the last five.
Despite Montreal's strong start to the first period, Wyatt Johnston's power-play goal at 14:21, a beautiful tic-tack-toe play with Roope Hintz and Rantanen, swung the momentum in Dallas' favor. The Stars then exploded in the second period, with even-strength goals from Lindell, Seguin, and two from Robertson, pushing their lead to a commanding 5-0.
Robertson's two goals came in quick succession, just 99 seconds apart. The first was a backhand beauty past Dobes, followed by a wrist shot through traffic that sent some Montreal fans heading for the exits with over three minutes still remaining in the second period.
The biggest blow for Montreal, however, was the injury to Alex Newhook. He crashed feet-first into the end boards after being tripped by Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin early in the second period, immediately leaving the game with what appeared to be a right-leg injury. Shortly after Newhook's injury, Robertson capitalized, sending Seguin on a breakaway with a smart breakout pass to make it 3-0. The timing of it all definitely felt like a momentum killer for the Habs.
Did Lyubushkin intentionally trip Newhook? It's a question that's surely being debated amongst fans. While there's no definitive proof of malice, the optics aren't great, and the resulting injury only intensified the Canadiens' struggles.
And here's a key stat: The Stars have now won their last seven games at the Bell Centre, a streak that dates back to October 30, 2018.
Looking ahead, the Canadiens will try to bounce back as they host the Boston Bruins on Saturday. The Stars will return home to face the Philadelphia Flyers, also on Saturday.
What do you think, Habs fans? Was this simply a bad night, or are there deeper issues that need addressing? And Stars fans, do you see your team as a legitimate contender this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
