In an exhilarating showdown, the Montreal Canadiens triumphed over the Ottawa Senators with a thrilling 6-5 victory on January 17, 2026. The game reached a dramatic climax when Cole Caufield netted his second goal just 33 seconds into overtime, capping off a remarkable comeback for Montreal.
Late in the third period, the Canadiens found themselves trailing 5-3. In a bold strategic move, they pulled their goaltender, Samuel Montembeault, to add an extra attacker. This gamble paid off when Juraj Slafkovsky skillfully redirected a shot from Lane Hutson into the net with only 4:24 remaining, closing the gap to 5-4. Just a minute and five seconds later, Alexandre Carrier leveled the score at 5-5 by beating goaltender Leevi Merilainen on the glove side, igniting cheers from the Montreal fans. Additionally, Josh Anderson contributed significantly with both a goal and an assist during the game.
Jake Sanderson of the Senators had previously appeared to secure a comfortable lead with what seemed like insurance—his tenth goal of the season—at 7:55 in the third, as he scored on a short-side shot against Montembeault to push the Senators ahead 5-3. Other contributors for Ottawa included Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens, and David Perron, each finding the back of the net. Merilainen managed to stop 13 shots throughout the match.
The second period kicked off with a two-man advantage for the Senators, allowing Tkachuk to score his tenth goal of the season merely 42 seconds in. Later, with 1:36 left in the second period, Artem Zub unleashed a shot from just inside the blue line that deflected off Perron’s skate in the crease, granting Ottawa its first lead of the night.
Montreal did face a setback midway through the second when one of their goals was disallowed; however, they rebounded late in the period. On another power play, Nick Suzuki fought hard for the puck along the boards and set up Caufield, who executed a precise wrist shot past Merilainen, bringing the Canadiens closer to their opponents.
Lane Hutson made history by recording three assists in this match, surpassing Henri Richard's record with 101 assists, marking the highest number for a Canadiens player aged 21 or younger in franchise history.
Looking ahead, the Canadiens are set to host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, while the Senators will travel to Detroit for their next game on Sunday.
