Cole Caufield scored with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation to secure a thrilling 4-3 home victory for the Montreal Canadiens against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night. This win marks an important moment in the Canadiens’ season as they strive for playoff contention.
Game Highlights and Player Performances
The Canadiens saw impressive performances from several players, notably Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, both of whom recorded multi-point nights. Alexandre Carrier and Phillip Danault also contributed to the scoreboard with key goals. Jakub Dobes was solid in net, stopping 16 shots and helping Montreal improve their record to 28-15-7, marking their second consecutive win.
On the other side, Vladimir Tarasenko shone for Minnesota with two power-play goals, while Brock Faber added another goal to the Wild’s tally. Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello provided valuable support with two assists each. Jesper Wallstedt made 29 saves for the Wild, who hold a record of 28-14-9 after a recent 6-3 victory against Toronto.
Tarasenko set the tone early in the game, scoring at 10:44 of the first period with a power-play shot from the right circle. Danault responded for Montreal at 15:22, capitalizing on a rebound from a Kaiden Guhle point shot, breaking a lengthy 52-game goal drought that had extended since March 30, 2025. Carrier then put Montreal ahead 2-1 with a deft deflection of a Mike Matheson drive just before the first intermission.
In the second period, Faber leveled the score at 10:16 with a redirection of a Vinnie Hinostroza shot that initially glanced off Kaprizov. However, Hutson quickly restored the Canadiens’ lead just 2:19 later, scoring off a one-timer from low in the right circle after a perfect setup from Demidov.
Tarasenko added his second power-play goal at 12:40 of the third period, tying the game at 3-3 just seven seconds after a 5-on-3 expired. The climax of the match came when Caufield delivered a stunning one-timer from the top of the right circle, assisted by Nick Suzuki, to clinch the victory at 19:45.
Additional notes from the game include Hutson’s goal and assist contribution, along with Demidov’s two assists. Tarasenko’s achievement of scoring multi-goal games on consecutive days places him among the elite in Wild history. Notably, Caufield’s game-winner marked his 21st deciding goal in the third period or overtime since his debut in the 2020-21 season, with only a handful of players surpassing him in that statistic. Canadiens forward Kirby Dach also made his return from a broken foot, logging 16:46 of ice time with two shots on goal.