Canadiens Lose Alexandre Carrier to Injury in 6-5 Track Meet Against Penguins

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier was forced to exit Saturday night’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, leaving a noticeable hole on a blue line that desperately needed him.

Leaving a game early is never ideal, but doing it during a chaotic 6-5 loss to Pittsburgh is a special kind of frustrating. When 11 total goals are hitting the back of the net, you need every available body on defense just to survive the track meet.

"Daily Faceoff reported Carrier's early departure from the game."

Daily Faceoff reported Carrier's early departure, though the exact nature and severity of the injury remain locked in the NHL's notoriously vague upper-body or lower-body vault for now.

Carrier is supposed to be a stabilizing veteran presence for a Montreal squad trying to find its footing. Losing him mid-game forces the rest of the defensive rotation to play heavy, unplanned minutes, which usually ends exactly how a 6-5 box score suggests.

For anyone holding Carrier in fantasy or eyeing Montreal's defensive props, this is a massive red flag. A missing top-four defenseman completely changes the math on how many shots and high-danger chances this team gives up on a nightly basis.

The Canadiens do not have much time to lick their wounds or rest their overworked skaters. They host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, and if Carrier is not cleared to suit up, Montreal is going to need a minor miracle to keep the puck out of their own net.