The Montreal Canadiens snapped their offensive slump and secured a valuable point Monday night, falling 4-3 in a shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Despite it being their fourth consecutive loss (0-3-1), the single point felt like a victory after trailing 3-1 heading into the final frame.
A Resilient Third Period Comeback
Facing another defeat, the Canadiens found their footing in the third period. Josh Anderson cut the Blue Jackets' lead to 3-2 with his goal at the 8:28 mark. The comeback was capped with dramatics as defenseman Lane Hutson scored with just 1:29 remaining in regulation, firing a shot from the high slot with goalie Jakub Dobes pulled for an extra attacker.
Oliver Kapanen also found the back of the net for the Habs, who were finally able to generate consistent offensive pressure. The team ended a concerning drought by registering 32 shots on goal, marking the first time in 12 games they had surpassed the 30-shot mark.
Shootout Seals the Fate
The momentum carried into overtime, where the Canadiens dominated possession and outshot Columbus 6-0. However, they couldn't solve Blue Jackets netminder Jet Greaves to end the game there. In the shootout, Cole Caufield was the lone Canadien to score, while Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov were stopped. Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored for Columbus to secure the second point for the home team.
After the game, Captain Nick Suzuki acknowledged the tough loss but highlighted the team's improved play. "The second half of the game I thought we really controlled it, especially in the third," Suzuki told reporters. "We got two goals and had our chances in overtime. It's tough to lose that one. I thought we gave ourselves a really good chance to win."
Overcoming Adversity and Lineup Changes
The Canadiens continue to navigate a challenging injury landscape. The team is currently without key players like Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine, and Kaiden Guhle for extended periods. In response, head coach Martin St. Louis juggled his lines, notably moving Zachary Bolduc to the top unit with Suzuki and Caufield, and dropping Juraj Slafkovsky to the second line.
The lineup adjustments seemed to pay off as the team showed more jump after a slow start that saw them fall behind 1-0 on a goal from Zach Werenski and muster only one shot midway through the first period. The point earned keeps Montreal in the playoff hunt, as they now hold a 10-6-3 record and sit third in the Atlantic Division, just one point behind the Boston Bruins with two games in hand.
