Cole Caufield scored the decisive goal 30 seconds into overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a 5-4 victory over the Utah Mammoth at the Bell Centre on Thursday.
The win marked a recovery for Montreal, which had struggled to find momentum early in the game after a difficult loss to the Winnipeg Jets two days prior. Caufield beat goaltender Sebastian Cossa with a precise shot to the blocker side to end the contest.
Utah Scores Early as Canadiens Struggle Defensively
The Canadiens faced an immediate deficit when Logan Cooley opened the scoring for Utah just 1:42 into the first period. L’Utah a creusé l’écart à 2-0 à 9:24 en avantage numérique, une séquence ayant suscité du mécontentement chez les partisans envers les décisions des arbitres.
Shortly after the opening goal, Lane Hutson broke away on a breakaway but failed to hit the target. Cooley completed his hat trick at 11:05 of the third period during another power play for the visitors.
The team’s defensive organization also faced challenges, as Utah capitalized on three of its five power-play opportunities.
Suzuki Returns with a Goal and Two Assists
Captain Nick Suzuki provided a spark for the Canadiens in his return to the lineup following a six-game absence due to a hand injury. Suzuki scored to cut the deficit and later added two assists, earning first-star honors.
His return boosted the team's scoring alongside Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský, though the trio faced defensive pressure throughout the night, posting an expected goals percentage of 37.46 percent according to Natural Stat Trick while allowing 10 scoring chances. Suzuki has now recorded at least one point in eight of the ten games he has played this season.
ICYMI: The Canadiens completed a 5-4 comeback win courtesy of Cole Caufield’s overtime winner against the Utah Mammoth at the Bell Centre on Thursday
Kirby Dach, returning from an illness that sidelined him for two games, also contributed. He scored his first goal of the season on a power play and added an assist on Arber Xhekaj’s first goal of the campaign.
The goal came after a pass from Suzuki hit a defender, leaving the puck free for Dach to push over the goal line. St-Louis noted the difficulty of roster decisions, stating that players like Florian Xhekaj and Owen Beck had performed well, but he aimed to field the most effective group for the team.
“Marquer m’aide à avoir confiance en mes moyens, mais nous ne manquons certainement pas de confiance en nos moyens au sein de cette équipe,” said Kirby Dach.
“Nous tirions de l’arrière au pointage, mais nous jouions du bon hockey,” insisted Arber Xhekaj.
“C’était important d’aller chercher le prochain but et c’est que nous avons fait. Nous avons continué à jouer une bonne “game”. J’ai aimé notre réponse après la déception de notre dernière “game”,” said Martin St-Louis.
Engström’s First NHL Goal and Overtime Record
Rookie defenseman Adam Engström tied the game 4-4 with 5:06 remaining in the third period, marking his first career NHL goal. Engström’s goal from the slot tied the game late in the third period. Cossa stopped 30 of the 35 shots he faced. Following a high-sticking penalty to Slafkovský, Utah regained the lead 4-3 at 7:14 of the final frame when Cooley set up Nick Schmaltz.
According to RDS, Caufield reached 15 career overtime goals in 384 games, surpassing the pace set by Connor McDavid, who reached that total in 559 games.
Impact on Standings and Team Performance
The victory was notable as the Canadiens became the first team this season to defeat Utah after the Mammoth scored the first goal. Prior to Thursday, Utah held a 7-0-0 record when scoring first and a 9-0-0 record when leading after two periods.
Despite the win, the Canadiens’ discipline remained a concern, as the team conceded five power-play opportunities to an opponent with a 36.4 percent efficiency rate on the man advantage.
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Cole Caufield scored 30 seconds into overtime and the Montreal Canadiens overcame Logan Cooley's hat trick to beat the Utah Mammoth 5-4 on Thursday night.https://t.co/UwDeKQr7sF
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