First period
- Cole Caufield just misses a crease-charging Alexandre Carrier with a pass. Some of the lack of shots is from plays like that, which have about a 70% chance of being goals if they connect.
- Patrik Laine skates the puck out of his zone and stickhandles to get over the red line to dump and change. He ends up drawing a hooking call.
- Zachary Bolduc gets a point-blank backhand chance on the power play, but Juuse Saros has it covered.
- A pass from Ivan Demidov to Kirby Dach on a quick-developing two-on-one is behind the target and nothing comes from it.
- Another couple of missed passes from Demidov. But lots of puck touches already for him is a good sign.
- Alex Newhook decides to shoot the puck himself rather than force a pass across to Demidov. It’s Montreal’s sixth shot of the opening 15 minutes, but no goal.
- A decent start and a good period overall, but still just six shots on net.
Second period
- No shots for Montreal through five minutes, but they’re now going on a power play … where they probably won’t get any either.
- They did get one shot from Cole Caufield.
- Caufield gets another shot on a setup from Carrier. He’s trying to do his part.
- The even-up call goes to Zachary Bolduc for hooking as he attempts to tie up his man at the side fo the crease, giving the Predators their first power play.
- Steven Stamkos opens the scoring on the man advantage with an attempted slap-pass off the foot of Kaiden Guhle.
- Dobeš nearly gets caught out of his net on a bad bounce, but Jayden Struble is there to save the day.
- The Predators have slowly but surely taken this game over.
- A turnover at Montreal’s blue line by Nashville leads to a four-on-two, a good chance from Gallagher, and a rare long presence in the offensive zone this period.
- The Habs must have seen the same thing I did about Nashville taking command because they’ve responded with a few energetic shifts in a row.
- Demidov goes off for holding the stick. The momentum takes a hit.
- Nashville is picking off every pass Montreal makes. Probably because they know not to expect a shot.
- The period ends. Montreal will require another comeback if they want to win this one.
Third period
- Penalty kills. Now to get to work.
- Laine sets up Anderson from behind the net, but Saros makes the save.
- Oliver Kapanen pulls into a three-way tie for the team goal-scoring lead by whacking in his own rebound from three feet above the crease.
Oliver Kapanen jams home the rebound and the Habs have tied things up!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 10:05 PM
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- There is a pace to the game now.
- And just as Montreal was building some momentum again, Nashville turns the puck up ice after Matheson went down low for a chance, and scores.
- Guhle goes down at centre ice and has some trouble putting weight on his leg. He stays on the bench however, so perhaps just a cramp.
- Kirby Dach steals the puck below the Predators’ goal line and then gets tripped as he works it along the wall. An important power play coming up.
- I really don’t know what the top unit is looking for. They have quality chances set up for themselves, and always think someone will have a better one.
- Montreal is up to 25 shots now looking for this tying goal.
- The puck was sitting at the side of the crease, but despite whacks from several players, it refused to go in the net.
- Hutson saves the game by preventing an empty-netter.
- The puck whisperer gets it to go where it’s supposed to. Caufield goes short-side, takes over the team goal-scoring lead, and, more importantly, has the Habs in position for a point and potentially two.
HOLY SMOKES COLE CAUFIELD AFTER A MASSIVE LANE HUTSON SAVE
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 10:27 PM
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- The point streak extends to four games.
Overtime
- Suzuki wins the faceoff, and Hutson has the puck.
- Demidov comes on the ice, sets up Suzuki, and the captain clangs the puck off the crossbar.
- Demidov makes a key deflection in his own zone to prevent a one-time chance.
- Another great chance for Suzuki created by Matheson.
- Dobeš makes the save on a two-on-zero, and is trying to play the puck up to his teammates on an off-man rush, but the ref blows the play down with the puck in his glove.
- Matheson’s stick breaks, but Nashville can’t capitalize.
- Suzuki misses yet another shot.
- The puck whisperer does not. Caufield gives the Habs a 3-2 overtime win that looks a lot like the one from Tuesday.
COLE CAUFIELD IS THE OT HERO AGAIN
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 10:40 PM
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- The Habs are 4-1-0.
- Next up? The snake-bitten New York Rangers.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) He has a future in the sport in some capacity after he retires for sure
2) You’re right. They’ll finish the season .800
1) He’s going to win every one of the individual awards
