Cole Caufield is doing more than just leading the Canadiens in goals-he’s turning crunch time into his personal stage.
On Saturday night in Ottawa, Caufield delivered yet again in the spotlight, burying the overtime winner just 33 seconds into the extra frame to cap off a wild 6-5 comeback win. Montreal clawed back from a two-goal deficit late in the third, salvaging their three-game road trip with a 1-1-1 record.
That goal? It was Caufield’s 12th in overtime in his young career.
The kid just has a knack for the moment.
And make no mistake-this isn’t some happy accident. Caufield thrives in the high-stakes moments.
“I like when the game’s tight, the game’s close and there’s something on the line,” he said after practice Monday in Brossard. “When it comes down to it, I want the puck in those situations.
I want to be the guy that does it. You can’t be afraid to make a mistake in those situations.
I enjoy those moments.”
He didn’t just finish the game-he started it, too. Caufield opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period, staking Montreal to a 2-0 lead.
But the real drama came in overtime, right after Ottawa’s Tim Stützle couldn’t cash in on a two-on-one with Claude Giroux. The Canadiens turned the play the other way, and Caufield didn’t miss.
Ottawa goalie Leevi Meriläinen got a piece of the shot, but not enough-Caufield’s blast to the stick side powered through. It was only Montreal’s 19th shot of the night, but it was the one that mattered most.
Through 49 games, Caufield is sitting on 24 goals and 48 points. Nine of those goals have been game-winners.
He’s pacing for 40 goals and 80 points-both would be career highs. For context, he scored 37 last season.
He’s not just scoring-he’s deciding games.
“When you have five minutes to try and win a game, it’s tough to go to shootouts these days with the amount of chances that are being created,” Caufield said of the overtime format. “It’s about high risk. The plays aren’t always the best, but sometimes you have to take those opportunities when they come.”
And that’s where Caufield shines. His ability to find soft spots in coverage, especially in three-on-three play, makes him a natural weapon in OT.
Head coach Martin St. Louis put it simply: “He finds himself in open ice.
He’s a guy you want to have the puck in open ice.”
Looking ahead, the Canadiens return to the Bell Centre on Tuesday night to host the Minnesota Wild. And there could be a shakeup on Caufield’s line.
While he’s been skating alongside captain Nick Suzuki, there’s a chance Kirby Dach could return to the lineup after missing 31 games with a fractured foot. Dach, who hasn’t played since mid-November, had five goals and seven points in 15 games before going down.
At 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds, he brings size and skill that could complement Caufield’s speed and scoring touch.
Alexandre Texier, who didn’t skate Monday due to a therapy day, could be the odd man out if Dach slots back in.
But while the Canadiens have shown they can rally when the pressure’s on, there’s still a troubling pattern developing. On this recent road trip alone, they blew two-goal leads in both Washington and Ottawa.
The resiliency is there, no doubt-but so is the inconsistency. For a team still building its identity, learning how to close out games is the next step.
Still, when the puck drops in overtime, there’s no question who Montreal wants on the ice. Cole Caufield isn’t just leading this team in goals-he’s setting the tone for what this group can be when the lights are brightest.