Key Takeaways
- Cole Caufield's overtime winner at 0:30, assisted by Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki, finished a comeback from 2-0 down.
- Captain Nick Suzuki returned after missing six games and had a goal and two assists, earning first star.
- Logan Cooley scored a hat trick for Utah, and Adam Engstrom's first NHL goal tied the game 4-4 with 5:06 left in the third period.
Down 2-0. Tied 4-4. Then Caufield Needed Just 30 Seconds.
The Montreal Canadiens spent Thursday night chasing the Utah Mammoth.
Then Cole Caufield ended the chase in 30 seconds.
His overtime winner sealed a thrilling 5-4 victory at the Bell Centre — a comeback that featured a hat trick, a captain's return, and a rookie's first NHL goal.
Utah Strikes Twice Before Montreal Wakes Up
Logan Cooley wasted no time putting Montreal in trouble.
He scored twice in the opening 10 minutes, giving Utah a 2-0 lead and setting himself up for a hat trick.
But Montreal wasn't going away.
Captain Nick Suzuki, returning after missing six games, scored at 15:25 of the first period.
Just 1:45 later, Arber Xhekaj tied it 2-2 at 17:10.
Four goals. One period. And the drama was only beginning.
Cooley Gets His Hat Trick. Montreal Keeps Fighting.
At 11:05 of the second period, Cooley completed his hat trick with a power-play goal.
Utah led 3-2.
But just 1:09 into the third, Kirby Dach answered with a power-play goal of his own, assisted by Lane Hutson and Suzuki.
Tied again. 3-3.
Then Nick Schmaltz struck on the power play at 7:14.
Utah was back in front, 4-3.
And Montreal was running out of time.
A First NHL Goal Changes Everything
With 5:06 remaining in regulation, Adam Engstrom delivered a moment he'll remember.
His first NHL goal tied the game 4-4.
After trailing three separate times, Montreal had forced overtime.
And Caufield wasn't interested in making anyone wait.
Just 30 seconds into overtime, he scored the winner, assisted by Hutson and Suzuki.
Game over. Canadiens win 5-4.
Suzuki Returns With Three Points
Suzuki finished his first game back with one goal and two assists, earning first-star honours.
Jakub Dobes made 16 saves for Montreal, while Utah's Sebastian Cossa stopped 30 of 35 shots.
Cooley finished with four points despite the loss.
Montreal improves to 10-3-3, bouncing back just two nights after blowing a 4-0 lead in a 5-4 overtime loss to Winnipeg.
Utah falls to 10-6-1.
Next up for the Canadiens: a Saturday visit to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs.
The Twikup Take
Two nights after surrendering a four-goal lead, Montreal found itself fighting from behind.
This time, Suzuki returned with three points, Engstrom delivered his first NHL goal, and Caufield finished the job in half a minute.
From a 2-0 hole to an overtime winner in 30 seconds — Montreal turned another wild night into a comeback worth celebrating.
Photo: Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens, by Jenn G, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.