Cole Caufield scored the game-winning objective with 15 seconds left in regulation in
a 4-3 Montreal Canadiens victory over the Minnesota Wild
on Tuesday evening on the Bell Centre.
It was Montreal’s first win towards the Wild since 2019.
Kirby Dach returned to the lineup after lacking 31 video games with a fractured foot. He performed alongside Nick Suzuki and Caufield on the primary line whereas Alexandre Texier is day-to-day with an upper-body damage.
Earlier than we get to the targets, a stunning penalty within the second interval. Lane Hutson was referred to as for tripping on Marcus Foligno although no contact was made as he fell. It despatched Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis right into a rage on the bench. Even official Eric Furlatt apologized to Hutson for the botched name. Errors occur, however this was a biggie.
They rent the NFL refs for this recreation?! 😂 pic.twitter.com/S4PgJmebL4
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 21, 2026
Ref Eric Furlatt apologizes to Lane Hutson for the tripping penalty referred to as on him. pic.twitter.com/PJp6jmDeDk
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 21, 2026
It didn’t value the Habs in the long run, however it was an in depth recreation till the ultimate seconds. Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice on the evening, together with the 1-0 ice breaker on the facility play.
placing the puck the place it belongs pic.twitter.com/YZjQx1YnJP
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 21, 2026
The Habs adopted it up with two targets to finish the primary interval up 2-1. Phillip Danault was within the field for the primary Tarasenko objective, however he made up for it together with his first objective of the season to attract even. That ended a season-long, 43-game goalless drought for the King-turned-Hab.
DANAULT MARQUE POUR NOUS, CHAPITRE IIPHIL THE THRILL#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/uMxdk7doGh
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 21, 2026
Within the closing minute of the opening body, Alexandre Provider scored his fourth objective in his final 5 video games to offer Montreal their first lead. Habs outshot the Wild 15-2 in a dominant first interval.
QUELLE FAÇON DE SOULIGNER SA SOIRÉE BOBBLEHEADCARSY ON HIS BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/MFLrp2kKv0
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 21, 2026
Within the second interval, Brock Faber tied it up 2-2 with some extent shot by site visitors that beat Jakub Dobes. The netminder allowed three targets on 19 pictures, however there wasn’t a lot he may do on any of them.
threading the needle 🪡 pic.twitter.com/qtwCGsU1Jl
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 21, 2026
Simply over two minutes later, Hutson made it three defencemen in a row with a objective to revive Montreal’s one-goal lead. His one-timer got here on a cross from Ivan Demidov.
Tour de passe-passe signé Demi et Lane ✍️Demi-Lane connection simply merely hits totally different#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/nE6LTMpZoz
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 21, 2026
After Montreal killed off the Hutson phantom journey to start out the third interval, they bumped into extra penalty bother. They killed a 5-on-3 with Hutson within the field once more, however with Mike Matheson nonetheless serving his penalty, Tarasenko scored his second of the evening to even issues at 3-3.
AND WE ARE TIED pic.twitter.com/oNmMcnMr6A
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 21, 2026
However Caufield wasn’t going to let a possibility slip away to indicate Wild and Group USA common supervisor Invoice Guerin that he made a mistake leaving the Habs sniper off the Olympic squad. With 15 seconds remaining in regulation, Caufield beat Jesper Wallstedt with a blast to safe Montreal’s first win over the Wild since earlier than COVID.
Dach didn’t issue within the scoring in his first recreation again, however for a giant physique he went the place he was wanted, which was going straight to the online to trigger bother.
It’s the second time the Habs have gained a recreation this season with precisely 15 seconds remaining. Kaiden Guhle did the deed on Oct. 11 in a win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kudos to the liveblog commenters over on the
Hockey Inside Out YouTube livestream
for poking enjoyable at themselves. Some had been satisfied a Wild comeback was imminent and the Habs had missed their likelihood. Right here’s what they needed to say:
