The Canadiens had plenty to celebrate after their overtime win over Utah, but the loudest moment may have come long after Cole Caufield’s winner. In the locker room, Martin St-Louis made sure Adam Engstrom’s first NHL goal got the kind of spotlight a young defenseman will remember for a long time.
Engstrom, 22, was selected in the third round, 92nd overall, in 2022. Last night, he finally scored his first career NHL goal in his 25th game. It was also his 10th game with Montreal this season, and he came out of it with a +5 rating after logging 10:48 against Utah.
The night started with the crowd going wild when Caufield ended it in overtime. Caufield now has 11 goals in 16 games, and three of them have been game-winners. He and Nick Suzuki were then recognized as the game’s stars before Suzuki joined his teammates in the locker room after returning to the lineup alongside Kirby Dach, as reported by Renaud Lavoie.
Once inside, St-Louis singled out Suzuki for his performance. The captain finished with a goal and two assists, giving him 15 points in 10 games. It was the kind of showing that made it obvious how much the Canadiens had missed him.
St-Louis then shifted to Engstrom and handed him the game puck to mark the milestone. It was a straightforward gesture, but one that carried real weight for a player still carving out his place.
The final touch came from Phillip Danault. The 33-year-old, who has 802 NHL games on his résumé, gave Engstrom the team’s player-of-the-game wolf head. That kind of moment, with a veteran passing it along to a 22-year-old in front of the whole room, says plenty about the mood in Montreal.
It’s not the first time that tradition has led to a memorable scene. After the win in Chicago, Jake Evans got the wolf head after scoring twice.
St-Louis also made clear what Suzuki’s return means to the group. With seven wins in their last 10 games, the Canadiens have reasons to feel good about where things stand. Toronto is next tomorrow night, and the way the room rallied around a young defenseman who played fewer than 11 minutes only added to the sense that this team is pulling in the same direction.
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