In a nail-biting finish, Cole Caufield scored a dramatic goal with just two seconds remaining in overtime, propelling the Montreal Canadiens to a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
The Canadiens showed their resilience by forcing overtime after being down late in the third period for the second consecutive game. Following rookie Ivan Demidov’s heroics on Tuesday, it was Caufield who ignited the Bell Centre crowd, tying the game 2-2 with a clutch goal just 19.5 seconds before the end of regulation.
This marked Caufield’s second consecutive game-winning goal in overtime and his fifth goal in as many games this season. Rookie Oliver Kapanen also contributed a goal for Montreal, with defenseman Lane Hutson chipping in with two assists.
Montreal, now boasting a 4-1-0 record, extended their winning streak to four games with backup goaltender Jakub Dobes making 17 saves in his second start of the year.
On the opposing side, Steven Stamkos and Nick Perbix found the back of the net for Nashville, but it wasn’t enough as goaltender Juuse Saros faced his first regulation loss of the season after making 27 saves.
With this defeat, the Predators dropped their second straight game, following a 7-4 loss to the Maple Leafs in Toronto.
TAKEAWAYS
Canadiens: Montreal maintains an impressive 12-0-2 record in their last 14 regular-season games at the Bell Centre, showcasing their dominance on home ice.
Predators: Nashville managed to break their goal drought on the power play, scoring only their second power-play goal of the season after going 0-for-13 prior to this game.
KEY MOMENT
The turning point came when Nashville broke the deadlock on the power play with Stamkos’s shot deflecting off Canadiens’ defenseman Kaiden Guhle’s skate and past Dobes at the 11:36 mark of the second period.
KEY STAT
Stamkos’s power-play goal marked his 27th goal and 52nd point in 54 career games against the Canadiens, highlighting his prowess against the Montreal team.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Set to face the New York Rangers at home on Saturday.
Predators: Travel to take on the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
