Canadiens make lineup changes and confirm their starting goalie vs. Panthers

At practice, he worked as the No. 1 goalie, reinforcing the decision ahead of the game in Sunrise. St-Louis has confirmed the start, leaving no doubt following his stint in Laval.

Montembeault, 29, also carries a perfect storyline for this matchup. He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2015, 77th overall, before eventually joining the Canadiens. His current contract is three years worth $9.45 million, counting $3.15 million per season.

This season, his statistics have raised eyebrows, with a 3.65 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage. When you add the context of his conditioning stint with the Laval Rocket, every start becomes a showcase. And right now, the Canadiens don't have the luxury of pretending everything is normal.

Because the reality is the famous three-goalie situation. Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes are still in the picture, and they can be moved without going through waivers. Montembeault, on the other hand, is a different case, both in terms of management and the salary cap.

Tuesday's game is coming fast, and it falls right in the middle of a crucial Florida road trip in the standings. According to the numbers, Montreal sits at 20-12-6, while Florida stands at 20-15-2.

Here is the projected lineup following practice. Alexandre Texier was promoted to the Canadiens' top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield at practice in South Florida on Monday. As a result, Zachary Bolduc slid down to a line alongside Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson.

Samuel Montembeault is finally getting a fresh start, and he'll have a golden opportunity to put his name back at the center of the story at just the right moment.