TORONTO — Cole Caufield continued his dominant offensive run, extending his point streak to 10 games as the Montreal Canadiens secured a gritty 2-1 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena.
While Caufield provided the spark in regulation, the Canadiens (15-9-3) relied on shootout markers from both Caufield and Alexandre Texier to secure the extra point. The win brings Montreal’s shootout record to 2-2 on the season.
Goaltending Duel: Dobes vs. Hildeby
It was a defensive battle defined by strong goaltending on both ends of the ice.
- Jakub Dobes stood tall for Montreal, stopping 22 shots to earn the win. The Canadiens have now split their last four games (2-2-0).
- Dennis Hildeby was spectacular in the crease for Toronto (13-11-4), turning aside 33 shots, but ultimately fell short in the tiebreaker.
Game Recap: Power Plays and Shorthanded Goals
After a scoreless first period, the Canadiens took control in the second. Montreal dominated possession, outshooting Toronto 14-3 in the middle frame.
Caufield Strikes First At 8:25 of the second period, Caufield capitalized on the power play. Taking a feed from Ivan Demidov at the side of the net, Caufield jammed the puck home to give Montreal a 1-0 lead. The goal officially extended his point streak to 10 games, a span in which he has tallied three goals and nine assists.
Laughton Responds for Leafs The Maple Leafs fought back in the third period despite being a man down. At 10:28, Scott Laughton equalized with a shorthanded breakaway. Laughton accepted a neutral zone pass from Nicolas Roy and fired a slap shot past Dobes’ glove from the slot. The goal extended Laughton’s own goal-scoring streak to three games.
The Shootout
With the game tied 1-1 after overtime, the game moved to a shootout. The Maple Leafs, now 0-1 in shootouts this season, could not solve Dobes, while clinical finishes from Caufield and Texier sealed the victory for the Habs.
Up Next
The Canadiens look to build momentum from this rivalry win, while the Maple Leafs, who are now 3-0-1 in their past four games, look to bounce back in their next matchup.
Quick Game Stats
| Team | Score | SOG | Power Play | Shootout |
| Montreal Canadiens | 2 | 34 | 1/X | 2 Goals |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 | 23 | 0/X | 0 Goals |
