Alexandre Texier’s shootout goal lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Cole Caufield, who also scored in the shootout, had previously found the back of the net in regulation, securing a win for Montreal (15-9-3). Goaltender Jakub Dobes made 22 saves during regulation and overtime.
Scott Laughton scored the lone goal for Toronto (13-11-4), with Dennis Hildeby making 33 saves. The Leafs’ three-game winning streak came to an end as Hildeby stepped in for Joseph Woll, who was placed on injured reserve earlier in the day.
In a game where momentum swung back and forth, Caufield notched his 15th goal of the season on a power play, while Laughton responded for Toronto with a short-handed breakaway goal in the third period.
Key takeaway:
Both teams faced challenges with injuries affecting their goaltending, but it was Texier’s clutch performance in the shootout that ultimately secured the win for Montreal.