Oliver Kapanen is out for Game 3, and Martin St. Louis has reshaped the Canadiens' lineup before puck drop at the Bell Centre.
The move comes after Montreal's gut-punch loss in Game 2, where one late sequence kept hanging over the bench heading into Monday night.
Kapanen worked with the extra skaters at the morning skate, a strong sign that his spot was gone for the night.
Elliotte Frirdman also confirmed the following:
Martin St Louis confirms Oliver Kapanen won't play tonight.
- Elliotte Friedman
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Joe Veleno steps in at center, giving St. Louis a different look on the fourth line as the Canadiens try to reset the tone in the series.
That decision didn't come out of nowhere. Kapanen's overtime turnover in Game 2 turned into the play everyone in Montreal was still talking about.
In the playoffs, those moments stick. And for a young center still learning the pace and pressure, the margin gets small in a hurry.
Joe Veleno gets his opening in game 3
The first clue came from rinkside during the morning session, and the lineup shuffle quickly started making sense.
“Oliver Kapanen is currently skating with the extras, while Veleno is with the regulars. We'll see if that means something,” reporter Anthony Martineau wrote.
That usually tells the story before the coach says it outright. On a day like this, teams don't run many decoys.
The switch also gives Veleno a real chance to grab hold of a role that had been sitting just out of reach.
He had stayed patient while watching from the press box.
Now the Canadiens are asking him to bring some jump, win a few draws, and give that bottom six a little more bite.
Fresh legs can matter in a playoff game, especially in a matchup that already feels tight on every shift and every battle along the boards.
Montreal doesn't need Veleno to carry the offense. They need clean minutes, responsible puck play, and a line that doesn't get pinned in its own zone.
That's the bet St. Louis is making before Game 3. Kapanen sits, Veleno goes in, and the coach is clearly looking for a response from his group.
Was Martin St. Louis right to sit Oliver Kapanen for Game 3?
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