Canadiens Rally Past Mammoth to Open Road Trip with Style
So let me walk you through what went down in Utah, because this game turned into one of those wild, momentum-swinging nights that really show what the Montreal Canadiens are made of right now. It was the first stop on their tough Thanksgiving weekend road trip — three games in four days through Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Denver — and they kicked it off with a comeback performance that fans will be talking about for a while.
Montreal came into this matchup knowing Utah’s young Mammoth squad mirrors them in so many ways: fast, talented, and on the rise. The Habs had already beaten Utah 6–2 earlier in Montreal, so the Mammoth were eager to prove that game wasn’t the full story. And for a while, it looked like they might do exactly that.
The Canadiens actually grabbed control early. Their signature speed was on full display in the first period, and Utah just couldn’t match their pace. Zach Bolduc opened the scoring on a power play, finishing off a smooth setup from Lane Hutson. That was a big moment for Bolduc, who had been stuck in a scoring drought, and getting that first-line opportunity clearly helped him settle in. Minutes later, Cole Caufield fed Nick Suzuki for another gorgeous goal — Suzuki’s 400th career point, by the way. So at 2–0, Montreal looked comfortable.
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But the second period flipped the script completely. The Canadiens’ penalty kill, which has been a real sore spot lately, let them down again. Utah struck three times in just over four minutes — first a power-play goal from Barrett Hayton, then a sharp wrist shot by Kailer Yamamoto, and finally Michael Carcone burying one after winning a puck battle behind the net. Suddenly Montreal, who had owned the game early, was trailing and looked rattled.
That set the stage for the third period heroics.
Less than a minute into the frame, Montreal thought they had tied it on a power play, but it was wiped out for offside. Instead of folding, they doubled down. Brendan Gallagher rang a shot off the post, and Suzuki jumped on the rebound to tie the game with his second of the night. Just over a minute later, Ivan Demidov — who had been having a rough game — reminded everyone why stars are stars. Using the defender as a screen, he snapped a shot far side to put Montreal up 4–3. That goal ended up being the winner.
And the Mammoth pushed hard in the closing minutes. Really hard. But Jakub Dobes stepped up with exactly the kind of goaltending the Canadiens have been missing lately. Thirty-one saves, a .912 save percentage — and honestly, some of those stops were game-savers.
So the Canadiens walked out with a 4–3 win, their third victory in 10 games, and a much-needed confidence boost as this road trip continues. Next up: Vegas.
A comeback, a captain leading the way, young talent shining under pressure — this one had it all.
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