Caufield Stuns Senators in OT as Canadiens Crash 30th Anniversary Party at Canadian Tire Centre
If the Senators were hoping to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their home arena with a feel-good win, Cole Caufield and the Canadiens had other plans. Caufield capped off a monster night with two goals and an assist, including the overtime winner, as Montreal edged Ottawa 6-5 in a wild, back-and-forth battle.
It was a night full of swings, mistakes, and missed chances - and for Ottawa, a frustrating reminder of how quickly control can slip away in the NHL.
The Senators did themselves no favors early. A sluggish first period saw them fall behind 2-0, and a string of undisciplined penalties didn’t help.
But to their credit, they clawed back. Ottawa outshot Montreal 34-19 and held a 5-3 lead late in the third, riding a strong push from their top players, including a four-point night from Jake Sanderson.
Still, in a game that felt like it should’ve been theirs, the Senators couldn’t close the door.
Montreal tied it late, then stole it in overtime - and it all unraveled in a matter of seconds.
Ottawa had a golden chance to win it in OT. Claude Giroux and Tim Stützle broke in on a 2-on-1, and Giroux floated a saucer pass across that just missed Stützle’s stick.
Stützle crashed into the end boards and was taken out of the play. Giroux peeled off for a line change, and suddenly the Canadiens were racing the other way with numbers.
Caufield, who may have gotten a piece of that Giroux pass to break up the play, turned on the jets. With space and time, he didn’t hesitate - winding up and blasting a slap shot past Leevi Merilainen to end it.
For Ottawa, the loss was a gut punch - not just because of the blown lead, but because of the ongoing questions in goal. Merilainen gave up six goals on just 19 shots, and his struggles are no longer a blip.
In 20 appearances this season, he’s posted a save percentage of .900 or better only five times. That’s a tough number to carry in today’s NHL, especially for a team trying to build momentum.
Head coach Travis Green didn’t sugarcoat it postgame.
“It’s hard to give him a pass,” Green said. “Six goals on 18 shots.
I’m sure he’d like to have one or two back. I feel bad for him.”
Jake Sanderson, who had arguably his best offensive game of the season, was equally blunt.
“I think Leevi made some good saves,” Sanderson said. “But I think at the end of the day, you got to make more than 10 saves to win a game.”
That’s the kind of honesty you typically hear behind closed doors, but the frustration was clearly boiling over.
It wasn’t all on the goaltender, though. Ottawa’s defensive structure broke down at key moments, and Thomas Chabot had a night he’ll want to forget. He struggled in his own zone and looked out of sync on the penalty kill - an area the coaching staff may need to reevaluate moving forward.
The Senators also hurt themselves with penalties early, handing Montreal momentum before the game even had a chance to settle.
And while Ottawa did manage to pick up a point, it’s the kind that leaves a sour taste. After beating struggling teams like the Canucks and Rangers earlier in the week, a win over rival Montreal would’ve carried more weight - especially on a night meant to honor three decades at the Canadian Tire Centre. Instead, the building was packed with Canadiens fans celebrating a comeback win.
Now the focus shifts to Detroit, where the Senators will face a rested Red Wings squad in another rivalry game. If James Reimer can give them even average goaltending, it could be Merilainen’s last start for a while - especially with Linus Ullmark nearing a return.
Ottawa has shown flashes this season, but consistency - and goaltending - remain elusive. Sunday’s game in Detroit will be a test of both their resilience and their depth. After a night like this, there’s no shortage of motivation.