Canadiens Seize the Moment in a Wild, Momentum-Swinging Win Over the Leafs
So, this matchup between the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs ended up turning into one of those nights where the energy inside the Bell Centre just kept climbing, and you could almost feel the shift happening as Montreal took control. What started as a pretty sleepy opening between two teams desperate for a win quickly transformed into a statement night for the Habs — and honestly, one of their most complete performances in weeks.
The talking point right from the start was Florian Xhekaj making his NHL debut. And he didn’t waste a single second announcing himself. His very first shift included a loud, clean hit on Troy Stecher, and that pretty much set the tone for how he planned to play: on the edge, physical, noticeable. Montreal wanted that spark, and he delivered it. He even picked up his first NHL point later on — not bad for a guy who wasn’t even supposed to be in the lineup until Jake Evans was cleared.
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In goal, Jakub Dobeš was placed under the microscope again. He’d been struggling lately with rough numbers, but you could tell early on that he was settling into this one. Toronto threw pucks at him from distance, and he handled all of them through the first period. Nothing flashy — just solid positioning, good rebounds, and steady confidence. That alone made a huge difference because Montreal wasn’t creating much early on.
But then everything changed in the back half of the first. Cole Caufield forced a turnover at the blue line, Nick Suzuki threaded a ridiculous pass through traffic, and Lane Hutson jumped right into the play to bury it. Seconds later, Noah Dobson fired one through bodies to make it 2–0, and suddenly the Canadiens had all the momentum. Gallagher earned a power play, Demidov buzzed around the offensive zone, and Montreal walked into intermission with control.
The second period is where Montreal completely overwhelmed Toronto. Dobson scored again off a gorgeous passing sequence from Slafkovský and Demidov, making it 3–0. Then came the fourth line — pure energy, pure pressure — leading to Josh Anderson sniping one for the 4–0 lead, assisted by Xhekaj for his first NHL point. Toronto attempted a goalie change to spark something, and to be fair, it worked enough to give them life. They clawed back with goals in the second and third, cutting it to 4–2 and making things interesting.
Montreal did bend a bit in the third, but they didn’t break. Dobeš stayed composed, the fourth line again burned crucial seconds deep in the Leafs’ zone, and Anderson sealed it with an empty-netter — his second of the night — right down the middle.
The final horn brought a little chaos, as expected between these two teams, with Florian Xhekaj standing his ground after a late hit. Not a perfect game from Montreal, but an absolutely necessary one, powered by a mix of youth, energy, and finally some dependable goaltending. Now they get a few days to breathe before a tough road trip begins.
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