Caufield’s Hat Trick Not Enough as Canadiens Fall to Bruins in Costly Third Period Collapse
In a game that had all the makings of a statement win for the Montreal Canadiens, Cole Caufield’s electric hat trick was ultimately overshadowed by untimely penalties and a penalty kill unit that couldn’t hold the line. Montreal dropped a 4-3 decision to the Bruins in Boston, a loss that stings not just because of the scoreline, but because of how winnable this one truly was.
The Canadiens, now slipping out of the top three in the division, are getting healthier and skating faster-but with the playoff race tightening, moral victories don’t count in the standings. Saturday’s game was a reminder that while the offense is coming alive, the details still matter. And those details-penalty trouble, defensive lapses, and special teams breakdowns-proved costly.
Caufield Catches Fire
Let’s start with the obvious bright spot: Cole Caufield. The winger was dialed in from puck drop, scoring all three of Montreal’s goals and showing off the kind of finishing touch that has him climbing the league’s goal-scoring leaderboard.
His first came just over six minutes into the game, slipping behind the Bruins’ top pair and burying a slick feed from Mike Matheson. It was a classic Caufield goal-finding soft ice, timing the play perfectly, and making no mistake once the puck hit his stick.
His second came on the power play in the second period, a one-timer from the right side after a smooth give-and-go with captain Nick Suzuki. And the third?
Another power play snipe from his usual spot, top shelf from a tight angle-pure goal scorer’s stuff. That marked just the second hat trick of Caufield’s career, and based on how he’s been trending, it won’t be the last.
Special Teams Swing the Game
But for all of Caufield’s heroics, the story of the night was Montreal’s inability to keep Boston’s power play in check. The Bruins scored three times on four man-advantage opportunities, and each one felt like a gut punch.
The first came early in the second, with Viktor Arvidsson left completely unchecked to the left of Samuel Montembeault. The Habs’ PK unit failed to clear the puck multiple times, and Arvidsson made them pay on the rebound after Montembeault’s initial save.
Then, after Caufield’s second goal had given Montreal a 2-1 lead, the Bruins struck back. David Pastrnak led a rush that turned into a textbook power play goal for Morgan Geekie, who found himself wide open thanks to a blown assignment by Jake Evans. Montembeault had no chance-this one was on the skaters in front of him.
The dagger came in the third, and it was a quick one-two punch. First, Fraser Minten tied the game just 12 seconds into the period with a clever backhander after slipping past Alexandre Carrier.
Then, just eight seconds later, Carrier was called for holding, and the Bruins wasted no time. Off the faceoff, they executed a set play to perfection, with Geekie one-timing the go-ahead goal past Montembeault just four seconds into the power play.
Three power play goals against. Four total penalties.
And a penalty kill that simply couldn’t get the job done. That’s the game.
Goaltending Not the Culprit
It’s easy to point fingers at the goalie when four goals hit the back of the net, but this wasn’t on Montembeault. His goals saved above expected (GSAx) was around -0.4-not great, but not disastrous either.
He made several solid stops and didn’t get much help on the goals that beat him. Defensive breakdowns and missed assignments were the bigger issue here, especially on the Geekie goals.
Lineup Notes and Key Moments
- Alexandre Texier returned to the lineup, bumping Joe Veleno to the press box. Kirby Dach, still working his way back from injury, centered the fourth line with Jake Evans and Zachary Bolduc, adding some size and grit to the bottom six.
- The Canadiens came out skating well, generating rushes early, and Caufield’s opener was the result of good offensive zone timing and puck movement. Matheson’s stretch pass through traffic to set up the goal was a highlight-reel play.
- The first period was relatively disciplined, with only one penalty-Bolduc for tripping-but that changed in the second and third, where the game unraveled.
- Dach and Jonathan Aspirot dropped the gloves late in the first in a scrap more notable for Dach’s apparent thumb discomfort than for any real punches landed. Not ideal for a player just returning from long-term injury.
- Phillip Danault’s line with Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher didn’t generate much offense, but they were solid defensively, limiting Boston’s chances at even strength. Danault also played a key role on the penalty kill, though again, the unit as a whole struggled.
Habs Three Stars
First Star: Cole Caufield - No debate here. Three goals, six shots, and a relentless presence on the ice.
Caufield was buzzing all night and is now on pace for 45 goals this season. Only MacKinnon, McDavid, and Robertson have more.
Elite company.
Second Star: Mike Matheson - Logged over 23 minutes and picked up the primary assist on Caufield’s first goal with a gutsy rush against Boston’s top unit. Continues to be a stabilizing force on the blue line.
Third Star: Phillip Danault - Didn’t hit the scoresheet, but his defensive presence and penalty killing effort stood out. The veteran center is starting to look more comfortable in the system and is quietly doing the dirty work.
This one’s going to sting for the Canadiens. They had the lead-twice-and were getting elite production from their top scorer.
But hockey games are often won or lost in the margins, and Montreal didn’t manage the key moments well enough. The penalties were avoidable.
The penalty kill was leaky. And the Bruins, to their credit, capitalized.
With the playoff picture tightening, Montreal can’t afford to let these kinds of games slip away. The positives are there-Caufield’s form, the team’s pace, the growing chemistry-but the execution, especially on special teams, has to tighten up. Otherwise, nights like this will keep slipping through their fingers.