Devils rally, but Canadiens prevail on late goal

[January 18, 2024]  Cole Caufield scored the tiebreaking goal with 4:31 remaining in the third period and Sam Montembault made 28 saves as the Montreal Canadiens earned a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night in Newark, N.J.
 
The Canadiens won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 16-18 despite blowing a two-goal lead.

Jan 17, 2024; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils goaltender Nico Daws (50) makes a save on Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Montreal's winning sequence started in the right corner behind the New Jersey net when Simon Nemec's clearing attempt was intercepted by Joel Armia, who moved the puck to the slot. A shot by Jordan Harris was stopped by New Jersey goalie Nico Daws, but Sean Monahan jammed the loose puck away to Caufield, who outmuscled John Marino and flicked the rebound into the net from the left side of crease.

Juraj Slafkovsky scored in the first period and Joshua Roy got his first NHL goal in the second for the Canadiens. Monahan had two assists and Caufield also set up Slafkovsky's goal.

Montembault was sharp most of the night and made 22 saves in the opening 40 minutes before allowing two goals on the Devils' four-minute power play early in the third.

Luke Hughes and Alexander Holtz scored 51 seconds apart during the lengthy man advantage, but the Devils lost for the fourth time in five games (1-3-1) since Jack Hughes was injured Jan. 5 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Daws made 22 saves.

After Dawson Mercer and Marino could not retrieve the puck behind the net, Caufield batted the puck out of the air to Slafkovsky at the crease. Slafkovsky scored by tapping the puck into the right side of the net with 7:12 remaining in the first.

Moments after Tyler Toffoli missed the net on a tip-in by Montembault, the Canadiens were sprung on a two-on-one. Roy got the puck near the neutral zone and fed Monahan.

Monahan raced in and made a cross-ice feed to Roy, who easily scored with 5:15 left in the second after Nemec failed to cover him in time.

The Devils cashed in after Kevin Bahl was high-sticked by Montreal captain Nick Suzuki.

Hughes made it 2-1 just 47 seconds into the third when his blast from near the blue line caromed off Montreal center Jake Evans' skate and into the net. Holtz then tied it with a one-timer from above the right circle that sailed under Montembault's glove and arm.

--Field Level Media

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