The Seattle Kraken quickly waved their tentacles and the Montreal Canadiens couldn’t shake their grip on Monday night, eventually losing 4-0 at the Bell Center rink.

The Canadian (16-22-3) conceded a third shutout of the season and a first since beating the San Jose Sharks 4-0 on Nov. 29. As a result, he failed to secure a second win in a row – a feat he attempted for the first time since his successes on November 23rd and 25th.

Eoli Tolvanen, Daniel Sprong, Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers struck in an empty net for the Kraken (23-12-4) who recorded their fifth straight win. Admittedly, the training of head coach Dave Hakstol has not been easy prey for CH as they now sit 13-4-2 at opposing ranks this season.

Goalkeeper Samuel Montembeault, against all odds, effected the exit after the Canadian urgently recalled Laval Rocket’s Cayden Primeau to replace the injured Jake Allen. Montembeault was peppered with an impressive 40-shot total in front of the Habs’ net.

His counterpart, Martin Jones, was not much in demand en route to his fifth straight win. He made just 21 saves from the Kraken net and earned his second shutout of the season.

Head coach Martin St-Louis spoke last weekend about the importance of playing well in your area. A message that did not seem to have been taken up by his flock.

For the 26th time this season – and for the seventh straight year – the Canadiens conceded the first goal of the game.

Tolvanen, forgotten late alone in the Enclave, accepted Yanni Gourde’s accurate pass and defeated Montembeault with a one-timer after 6:54 of the first period. In the penalty shoot-out it was 10-1 in favor of the Kraken. And it hasn’t improved.

While Chris Wideman was in jail for Hookens, Sprong fired a one-timer from the left faceoff circle that hit the post on Montembeault’s right before narrowly crossing the goal line. It was 2:0, after 10:01 the score was in play. With 15:1, CH then also dominated in terms of shots on goal.

The CH was not yet at the end of its difficulties. Dunn made it 3-0 just under five minutes later after unleashing a shot that worked its way through heavy traffic and landed behind the Quebec keeper’s goal. The crowd present at the Bell Center didn’t hesitate to boo their favorites after the siren signaled the first break.

The second third was a little hotter, but the gap stayed the same. Captain Nick Suzuki tapped the goalkeeper mid-half in a 3-on-1 run, but Jones didn’t flinch and pulled out the block to parry the shot.

Tempers flared in the third period between the two sides, who traded some good shoulders. But once again the Canadian showed indiscipline.

Forward Joel Armia may have to explain himself to the NHL Player Safety Department after hitting Dunn hard, who was standing near the ramp with his back to the play, less than 10 minutes into the game. He received a small penalty for the streak.

Wideman wasn’t so lucky and was sent off for making derogatory comments about a referee.

Beniers then completed in an empty net with 1:03 to go.

It was the second game between the sides this season after Canada’s 4-2 win in Seattle on December 22. Rookie Shane Wright, thought by many to be the Canadians’ first pick in the last draft, took the opportunity to score his first NHL career goal.

On the Canadian side, forward Mike Hoffman returned after being sidelined in the previous two games. He replaced Anthony Richard in the starting XI.

The Canadiens host the Nashville Predators at the Bell Center on Thursday. The Tennessee formation had signed a 6-3 win over CH on their ice on Jan. 3.

To see in the video