Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save as Minnesota Wild's Ryan Hartman (38) and Canadiens' Kirby Dach (77) battle for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.
The Montreal Canadiens snatched a dramatic victory against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.
Cole Caufield scored with just 15 seconds remaining to seal a thrilling 4-3 win.
The late goal capped an intense contest filled with momentum swings and special-teams drama.
Cole Caufield Strikes When It Matters Most
Cole Caufield proved decisive in the dying moments of regulation.
He accepted a clean feed from captain Nick Suzuki.
Caufield released a quick shot from the top of the right circle.
The puck beat Jesper Wallstedt and stunned the Wild bench.
It marked Caufield’s 25th goal of the season.
The tally underlined his growing reputation as a clutch scorer.
Canadiens Get Early Contributions
Montreal showed attacking intent from the opening faceoff.
Phillip Danault ended his long goal drought in the first period.
He jammed home a rebound to tie the game midway through the frame.
Alexandre Carrier followed with a crucial goal late in the period.
Carrier redirected a Mike Matheson point shot with 52 seconds remaining.
The Canadiens carried a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Minnesota Responds Through Tarasenko
The Wild relied heavily on Vladimir Tarasenko for offense.
Tarasenko opened the scoring with a power-play goal.
He fired a one-timer past Jakub Dobes at 10:44 of the first.
The goal came on Minnesota’s second shot of the game.
Tarasenko later struck again during a key power-play sequence.
His two-goal night kept Minnesota within striking distance.
Back-and-Forth Second Period
Minnesota pushed hard in the second period.
Defenseman Brock Faber tied the game at 2-2.
His wrist shot from the point slipped under Dobes’ left pad.
The Canadiens answered quickly to regain control.
Lane Hutson finished a sharp-angle chance from Ivan Demidov.
The rookie defenseman restored Montreal’s lead at 12:35.
Special Teams Shape the Outcome
Discipline became an issue late in regulation.
Penalties to Hutson and Matheson gave Minnesota a 5-on-3 advantage.
Tarasenko capitalized moments after the penalties expired.
His second goal cut Montreal’s lead and energized the Wild.
The game appeared headed for overtime.
Cole Caufield then delivered his late heroics.
Strong Support Cast for Montreal
Rookie winger Ivan Demidov impressed with two assists.
He showed poise and vision beyond his experience.
Jakub Dobes turned aside 16 shots in the win.
The Canadiens played a structured defensive game overall.
They limited Minnesota’s second-chance opportunities.
Notable Absences and Returns
Kirby Dach returned to the lineup after a long injury absence.
He had been sidelined since Nov. 15 with a broken foot.
Alexandre Texier missed the game with a lower-body injury.
Minnesota played shorthanded due to several key absences.
Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Boldy were unavailable.
Defensemen Jonas Brodin and Zach Bogosian also sat out.
What’s Next
The Canadiens will look to build on this emotional win.
Cole Caufield’s late goal could spark momentum moving forward.
Minnesota, meanwhile, must regroup after another tight loss.
Both teams continue their push through a demanding schedule.
