It was not a pretty ending for the Islanders in what was a wild game.

The New York Islanders visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night for the first time since Jan. 25, 2024. 

The last time the Islanders visited the Bell Centre, it was an eventful night for forward Pierre Engvall, who was returning from an injury. 

It was also the firs time he was playing for Patrick Roy. 

In the late stages of the game, Engvall had a costly giveaway on the left wing boards to Cole Caufield, who started a passing play finished by Sean Monahan to give the Canadiens a 4-3 lead and the win:

Although the game happened in Roy's early days as the Islanders head coach, Engvall's struggles that night concerned fans about his abilities in the lineup. 

However, Patrick Roy commented a few weeks later about his confidence in the forward. 

"Pierre is going to be fine," Roy said in February. "He's a very good hockey player. [Going back to that play against Montreal], Pierre knows exactly what I thought. I don't like bringing this into the paper because it's not the paper's business, but Pierre is a good player. He's an important player on our team." 

However, fast-forward to Tuesday's matchup, and Engvall is in dire straits. He has been sent to the press box and has received another challenge from his coach to earn his way back into the lineup. 

After practice on Monday, Roy said on Engvall, "Very simple. Bring the puck to the net and stay at the net. That's it. It's sad, but right now, there are guys that are playing better than him. They're probably not as talented as him, but they're playing better than he is."

Tuesday's game is also the first time the Islanders are in Montreal since Canadiens' forward Brendan Gallagher hit Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech with an illegal check to the head. 

Gallagher was ejected from the game and received a subsequent five-game suspension. 

Though the issue was seemingly resolved, Jean-Gabriel Pageau stood up for Pelech in their last meeting on April 11. 

“We all remember what happened, and we were not happy with it,” Pageau said after the game. “It kind of just happened at the moment. Nothing more. I was happy that he answered. I think he knew why. But it just happened."

With all the storylines coming into the game, in addition to Roy's return to Montreal, Tuesday will certainly be an interesting night for both teams. 

The puck drop between the Islanders and the Canadiens is at 7:00 p.m.