- Chris Kreider scored his first goal in a Canadiens uniform Saturday
- The goal came in Montreal’s 4-2 preseason finale win over Ottawa
- Read below for how he set it up and what’s next for the Canadiens
Chris Kreider is officially on the board in Montreal.
The 35-year-old winger scored his first goal as a Canadien in Saturday’s preseason finale, a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Centre.
He picked up a loose puck in front of Ottawa netminder Samuel Ersson and tucked it in on the backhand at 13:31 of the first period, tying the game 1-1. Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson picked up the assists.
Watch the goal:
Montreal signed Kreider to a one-year deal on Sept. 12, just two days after the Anaheim Ducks terminated his contract in a rare and messy split. He’d reportedly told the Canadiens directly that he wanted the fit before a deal ever came together.
Before Anaheim, Kreider spent his entire career with the Rangers, putting up a career-high 52 goals in 2021-22. He’s scored 22 goals in each of the past two seasons, one with the Rangers and one with the Ducks.
Last season’s run to the Eastern Conference Final came from one of the league’s youngest rosters, and a proven net-front scorer like Kreider gives that group another gear for a real push this year.
Noah Dobson, Juraj Slafkovsky and Phillip Danault also scored for the Canadiens, who split their squad Saturday and dropped the other end of the doubleheader 4-3 to the Senators in Ottawa. Jacob Fowler and Sam Montembeault combined to stop 30 of 32 shots in the win.
Check out the full highlights from Montreal’s night:
Tuesday’s regular-season opener at the Toronto Maple Leafs is next, and Kreider will be chasing his first real goal in a Habs sweater once it counts.
