Canadiens Rally Past Predators to Extend Win Streak to Five
Wow, what a night for the Montreal Canadiens! If you didn’t catch the game against the Nashville Predators, let me fill you in—because it was the kind of matchup that reminds us why we love hockey. The Canadiens, who’ve been heating up lately, rolled into Nashville and pulled off a gritty 2-1 win, thanks to big plays from Cole Caufield, Patrik Laine, and an absolutely stellar performance by goalie Jakub Dobes.
Let’s start with the facts: Montreal came into this one riding a four-game win streak, and they sure weren’t planning to slow down. On the other side, Nashville was in the middle of a tough stretch, having lost five of their last six. That kind of backdrop usually sets up a story—and this game didn’t disappoint.
Things didn’t go Montreal’s way early on. Just over four minutes into the first, Steven Stamkos opened the scoring for the Predators, ripping his 25th of the season with a slick setup from Filip Forsberg. That put Nashville up 1-0, and for a while, it looked like the Habs might be in for a long night—especially with Juuse Saros looking solid in net.
Also Read:- West Playoff Race Heats Up as Bucks Clinch Their Spot in the East
- Stephen Curry Faces Rockets in High-Stakes Showdown at Chase Center
But then came the second period, and with it, a momentum shift. Less than two minutes in, Nick Suzuki threaded a beautiful pass to Caufield, who buried his 36th goal of the year to tie it up. Just four minutes later, Patrik Laine lit the lamp for his 20th of the season, a go-ahead goal that would prove to be the game-winner. And that play? Set up by none other than Lane Hutson, who notched his 58th assist and tied Chris Chelios’ rookie record for points by a defenseman in a single season. Absolutely wild.
From there, it was all about shutting things down—and that’s where Jakub Dobes came up huge. He stopped 36 of the 37 shots he faced, turning away every opportunity the Predators threw at him, including four Nashville power plays. Talk about clutch. Saros, on the other end, had a quieter night—just 15 saves—but to be fair, Montreal only managed 17 shots total.
And you’ve got to feel for Nashville a bit. They really pressed in the second, outshooting Montreal 15-8, but couldn’t convert that pressure into goals. Even with a strong debut by Matthew Wood, their 20-year-old prospect who logged over 13 minutes of ice time, the Preds just couldn’t find that equalizer.
So, with this win, the Canadiens are now 38-30-9, holding firmly onto the second wild card spot in the East. They’re five points behind Ottawa and a comfortable six points ahead of the Rangers and Red Wings. Things are getting tight down the stretch, but Montreal looks locked in right now.
Next up, they’re heading back home to face Detroit. As for Nashville, they'll try to regroup before taking on the Islanders. But for now, it’s all smiles in Montreal. Five straight wins, a rookie tying a franchise record, and a team that’s showing real playoff energy. Let’s see how far this run can go!
Read More:
0 Comments