Canadiens Quick Hits: Caufield, Suzuki & Annoying Patterns
Well, if you like quiet, tidy hockey games, this one wasn’t for you. The Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks spent Friday night at the Honda Center trading goals like a couple of kids swapping hockey cards. In the end, the Ducks walked away with a 6–5 shootout win after one of those games that probably took a few years off the life expectancy of both coaching staffs.
Montreal actually did a lot of things right. Cole Caufield had a big night with two goals and an assist, Lane Hutson chipped in a goal and two helpers, and captain Nick Suzuki added a goal of his own. The Canadiens showed real pushback, especially in the third period.
Down 4–2 early in the third, Montreal roared back with three goals in just over four minutes. Caufield started it with a blast from the circle, Alexandre Carrier tied things up, and then Caufield tipped home Noah Dobson’s shot to give Montreal a 5–4 lead midway through the period.
At that point, it looked like the Canadiens had stolen this one. But hockey has a way of reminding you that the last minute can be the longest minute of the night. Anaheim tied it with just 42 seconds left in regulation, and overtime solved nothing. But the Ducks won in the shootout.
Exciting for the fans. A headache for the coaches.
The Game’s Turning Point for the Ducks
You don’t need a replay machine to find the moment that hurt Montreal the most. With the Canadiens holding a 5–4 lead and the clock winding down, Anaheim pulled its goalie for the extra attacker. Then Chris Kreider slipped into position and tipped home the tying goal with 42 seconds left.
That one stung. After battling back so impressively in the third period, Montreal couldn’t close the door.
Key Takeaway for the Canadiens
This is starting to feel like a Montreal pattern. For the second straight game, the Canadiens showed the ability to rally offensively in the third period. They scored three quick goals against San Jose earlier in the week as well.
But rallies only matter if you finish the job. The Canadiens are an exciting young team with real offensive talent, but learning to protect leads late in games remains very much a work in progress. That lesson usually comes the hard way in this league.
What’s Next for the Canadiens?
The good news in the NHL schedule is that you rarely have time to stew over a loss.
Montreal heads right back to work with a game against the Los Angeles Kings to wrap up the road trip. After a game like this, the focus will be simple: tighten up defensively and learn how to close out games when the lead is there.
Because of the comeback part? They already know how to do that.