NHL · Montreal Canadiens · 22:48 ET · via @DailyFaceoff

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

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

defenseman was forced to exit Saturday night’s matchup against the , 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 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 '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.

is supposed to be a stabilizing veteran presence for a 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 in fantasy or eyeing '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 on Tuesday, and if is not cleared to suit up, is going to need a minor miracle to keep the puck out of their own net.