Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen left Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings after a collision with Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin.
Jake Allen ne sera pas de retour ce soir.
Jake Allen will not return tonight.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 14, 2021
Jake Allen Leaves Saturday’s Game
Larkin took the puck hard to the net in the first period, trying to get around Canadiens defenceman Jeff Petry. As Larkin is skating in, Petry shoves him and he loses his balance and collides at nearly full speed with Allen. The goaltender’s helmet flew off in the collision. Allen stayed in afterwards but left at the next whistle and Samuel Montembeault finished the first period and the game. Larkin was hurt originally but stayed in the game.
Dangerous stuff in the Canadiens / Red Wings game: Dylan Larkin got slammed into Jake Allen
This is not a play that #RedWings fans ever want to see, #RedWings captain Dylan Larkin getting pushed into #Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen. Hopefully both players are all right. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/Dm9GRYwW95
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) November 14, 2021
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) November 14, 2021
With Carey Price in the NHL’s player assistance program, Allen has played in 13 of Montreal’s 15 games this season. He has a 2.86 goals-against-average and a .902 save percentage. His record is 4-8-1.
This is Allen’s second season in Montreal. In the 2020 offseason, he was traded from the St. Louis Blues with a 2022 seventh-round pick for a third and seventh-round pick in 2020. Allen had similar numbers last season, with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. His record was 11-12-5.
The St. Louis Blues drafted Jake Allen 34th overall in the 2008 draft from the St. John’s Fog Devils of the QMJHL. Allen became a regular for the Blues during the 2014-15 season and was their starting goaltender for most of that time until Jordan Binnington became the team’s starter early in 2019. Allen won the Stanley Cup with the Blues that same season.
What Does This Mean for the Canadiens
With Carey Price out, Jake Allen is arguably Montreal’s most irreplaceable player, so losing him for any period of time will be a massive blow. They are trying to climb themselves out of a poor start and need Allen, who is by far their best goaltender right now, to do it. Their backup is Sam Montembeault, a promising 24-year-old goaltender who Montreal claimed off waivers before the start of the season from the Florida Panthers. He’s played 29 games over the past four seasons with a 3.26 goals-against average and a .891 save percentage.
On the bright side for Montreal, Cayden Primeau is playing well in the AHL right now. In nine games, he has 2.41 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. If Montreal does need to bring up a goalie, the 22-year-old is the likely candidate.
There is no timeline when Price will be back playing. But he met with his teammates last Tuesday for the first time since entering the program.
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