Canadiens Rout Senators 5–0 Amid Brawl

In Quebec City, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators 5–0 in a raucous preseason game that featured multiple line brawls, ejections and roughly 150–152 combined penalty minutes. Brothers Arber and Florian Xhekaj were central figures, with Arber ejected after a third-period altercation, and at least one player — Jan Jenik — leaving with a bloody facial injury that required stitches. Other incidents included Jayden Struble cross-checking Jenik, Donovan Sebrango jumping Kirby Dach, a skate coming close to Jake Evans, and a slash that knocked rookie Ivan Demidov out of the game while he was being evaluated. The contest drew 18,259 fans in Quebec City and echoed past Sens–Habs preseason melees, underscoring the long-standing rivalry but raising concerns about injuries and discipline. For Ottawa, the spectacle came amid final roster decisions, multiple recalls from AHL Belleville and uncertainty about injured regulars Drake Batherson, Lars Eller, Tyler Kleven and Nick Jensen ahead of opening-night lineups.