Caufield Scores Lone Goal in Montreal’s Season Opener Against Toronto

In a thrilling season opener, the Montreal Canadiens emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre. The match was held on Wednesday and featured standout performances from both teams, notably from Montreal’s goaltender Samuel Montembeault, who delivered a historic shutout performance. Montembeault successfully blocked all 48 shots aimed by the Maple Leafs, setting a new NHL record for the most saves in a season-opening shutout.

Montembeault reflected on the win, stating, “Those are the kind of situations you want to be in. Last year, it happened a few times, we were leading by a goal and then we lost it and they came back. So this year I think we did a good job. We didn’t force anything in the third (period), we just played the game that was in front of us, and I think the guys did a great job.”

The Canadiens’ only goal was scored by Cole Caufield, who capitalized on a power-play opportunity early in the first period. His goal came from a one-timer off Juraj Slafkovsky‘s cross-ice pass, executed shortly after a face-off win in the offensive zone. Caufield commented on the play, “Obviously that’s kind of a face-off play that we work at. When it’s there, it’s nice. Those are the plays that you’ve got to execute.”

On the opposite end, Anthony Stolarz made his debut as goaltender for the Maple Leafs, managing 26 saves. Stolarz joined Toronto after signing a two-year, $5 million contract earlier in the year. “The guys did a really good job in front of me, to let me see the first shot,” Stolarz mentioned, highlighting the defensive efforts of his teammates.

Toronto’s head coach, Craig Berube, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance despite the loss, saying, “When you almost get 50 shots on net and you don’t get a goal, their goalie played well. But I was happy with our effort. The guys battled, worked, Stolarz was really good in net. A lot of good things but we’ve got to find a way to finish better.”

Montreal captain Nick Suzuki shared his enthusiasm after the game, “I don’t know that I’ve ever been that fired-up for a home opener. It was a good effort from everyone. We played really solid defensively.”

The win marks a positive start to the season for the Canadiens. It is the third consecutive year that Montreal has opened their regular season against the Maple Leafs. The intense rivalry between the two teams is well-documented, with this game marking their 769th regular-season meeting.