MONTREAL — Jake Allen is clearly comfortable playing in Montreal.
Allen led the New Jersey Devils past the Montreal Canadiens with a 34-save shutout on Saturday afternoon, earning a win against his former team for the second time in two weeks.
"It's always fun to play here,” said Allen, who was traded from Montreal to New Jersey at last season’s deadline. “It's a special place to play in the league, every player would say the same thing. For me, every game I have left here before I'm too old to play anymore is special."
The 34-year-old netminder denied a Grade A chance from Cole Caufield in the first period before thwarting Josh Anderson’s deke to the backhand on a breakaway in the second.
Montreal could have spoiled his shutout bid when Owen Beck drew a penalty shot with 15 seconds remaining, but Allen, who looked composed in net all afternoon, turned that chance aside too.
"You gotta have fun with it,” Allen second of Montreal’s golden opportunity with time winding down. “The game's really over, obviously at that point, but that's hockey. I mean, anything can happen out there quickly.”
Allen has taken on a bigger role with Devils starting goalie Jacob Markstrom out until after the 4 Nations Face-Off from Wednesday through Feb. 20 in Montreal and Boston.
Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe is happy he’s had a veteran like Allen to fill the crease with Markstrom out. Allen has five wins and three shutouts in his last eight games.
"He's been great,” Keefe said. “Today, for me, he was really calm, kept everything in front of him. There's a lot of shots from the perimeter that can turn into second and third opportunities, but he was eating a lot of things up today that allowed our team to just settle down.
“He looked like the veteran goaltender that he is today, and that's what our team needed.”
The Canadiens, meanwhile, continued a recent trend of low-production from their top players.
Montreal lost for the seventh time in eight games. In their last five outings, Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Patrik Laine have one goal combined.
“You need actions from players who galvanize the group, and we have enough of those players,” head coach Martin St. Louis said. “Some of them do that in different ways, but to come out of something like this it takes some big individual efforts while still respecting the collective plan.
“We don’t have a lot of confidence right now. You look at the game tonight, and that’s not a 4-0 game. We weren’t able to go find a goal. I think it’s a lack of confidence, and that’s pretty much it, I would say.”
Canadiens netminder Sam Montembeault also struggled on his end, allowing four goals on 22 shots, including a couple of long-range attempts he’ll likely want back.
Montembeault is one of Canada’s three goalies at the 4 Nations, but hasn’t played to an elite level of late. Since the calendar flipped to 2025, he has a 4-6-1 record with a .833 save percentage and 3.40 goals-against average.
“I know I have to be better,” he said. “I have to be more consistent. I know I can do better and I can be better. I have the chance for the next two weeks to still go on the ice and still like work out and try to get back, find my game.
“To do that in practice with all the best players in the world, it's gonna be a good challenge, and I want to take this time to really get my game back and come back strong after the break.”
Allen said he won’t brag about his shutout to his old friends.
Instead, he plans on sending Montembeault his well wishes for the upcoming tournament.
"I wish him the best, and I think he's had a great season,” Allen said. “He's gotten better every single year that I've watched him. Really happy for him, and I hope he gets the opportunity to be the opening night guy for Team Canada."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2025.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press