Columbus 4, Montreal 3 (SO): A Night the Canadiens Deserved

Some games feel like they slip through a team’s fingers, and this one in Columbus against the Blue Jackets had that familiar sting for the Montreal Canadiens. They were second-best early, no doubt about it, but when the game tilted their way halfway through, they looked like a club determined to drag two points out of the building.

Nick Suzuki said they “controlled it,” and you could see what he meant—long shifts in the Jackets’ zone, pucks funneled to the net, and just enough chaos to make a young goalie sweat. They tied it late, they pushed in overtime, and for long stretches, they looked like the team that had the extra gear. But hockey isn’t a fairness business; it’s a did-you-get-a-break business. And in the shootout, the breaks went the other way.

To the Canadiens’ Credit, They Never Got Rattled

What’s impressive was how composed Montreal looked when they fell behind 3–1. There wasn’t that sag you sometimes see in young teams; instead, they pushed back with a mix of honest work and a touch of creativity. Josh Anderson’s goal was all second effort, the kind coaches quietly love. Lane Hutson, who already plays like a kid who’s been told to ignore the speed limit, kept demanding the puck and finally tied it from distance with Dobes on the bench. That’s the kind of shot you try because you believe something good might happen. And lately, the Canadiens haven’t always had enough players in that headspace.

So while the final score stings, the spirit didn’t. That’s something.

Three Key Points for the Canadiens

Key Point One: Kirill Marchenko Stays Red-Hot. The Blue Jackets forward is worth mentioning here. He extended his point streak to 12 games and was the difference twice—once with that slick backdoor feed, and once in the shootout. Montreal never really solved him. He became the hammer that drove the nail.

Key Point Two: Lane Hutson Keeps Showing He Belongs. Another good game for Hutson. He scored a goal, added an assist, and showed the poise of someone who doesn’t care how old you think he is. He drove offense from the back end and didn’t shy from big moments.

Key Point Three: Jet Greaves Outduels Jakub Dobes. Dobes played well for the Canadiens. But Greaves was calmer and cleaner at the big moments. Twenty-nine saves, a handful of them really tough, and he looked unfazed by Montreal’s long pushes.

Final Thought on the Canadiens

Four straight losses can gnaw at a team, but this one shouldn’t. They played with energy, with purpose, and chased the game the right way. If they bottle the last 30 minutes in Columbus, they’ll win more than they lose. They did grab a point on the night, and that’s better than not.