On Thursday night, the Montreal Canadiens pulled off a gritty 4-3 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks at the Bell Centre. Cole Caufield played the hero, scoring the game-winner at 3:21 of OT. He made a slick move to get around Macklin Celebrini and then buried a shot over Alexandar Georgiev’s right pad.
The Canadiens Didn’t Play the Cleanest Game But Won Anyway
It wasn’t the Canadiens’ best game of the season, but it was a win they needed to have any hope left for a postseason spot. After the victory, captain Nick Suzuki shared his thoughts: “We needed those two points, and it wasn’t our best for all of that game, but we found a way to win in OT, and Cole made an amazing play.”
The Canadiens, now on a three-game winning streak since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, got contributions from several key players. That included Suzuki, who had two goals and an assist. Goalie Sam Montembeault also made 23 saves.
Three Key Canadiens Players of the Game
Here’s a quick hit on three key Canadiens players from the game:
Cole Caufield: Overtime Hero
Caufield’s game-winning goal was a beauty. He dragged the puck between his legs to maneuver past a defender before scoring in overtime. Interestingly, it was Caufield’s eighth career overtime goal. That tied Johnny Gagnon for the fourth-most in Canadiens history.
Caufield knows how important each win is for the team right now: “It’s kind of just do-or-die… when we play a good team game, we’re pretty dominant,” he said.
Nick Suzuki: A Consistent Force
Suzuki was again a key contributor, notching two goals and an assist. The victory pushed Suzuki to his fourth consecutive 60-point season (18 goals, 42 assists). With that milestone, he’s joined a select group in Canadiens history. These players include legends like Guy Lafleur, Yvan Cournoyer, and Maurice Richard. The young Canadiens captain’s steady play sets the tone for Montreal’s success.
Lane Hutson: A Rookie Phenomenon
Lane Hutson continues to shine in his rookie season. The defenseman earned an assist in the win. His 40 assists in 59 games made him the sixth-fastest rookie defenseman in NHL history to reach that milestone. With that goal, he joins a list of blue-liners like Larry Murphy, Chris Chelios, and Brian Leetch in the record books. Hutson’s playmaking abilities have been a bright spot for the Canadiens this season.
With the win, the Canadiens improved to 28-26-5 on the season. There’s still a lot of work to do, but the team also has a renewed sense of energy post-break and looks to continue winning.
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