In a heart-stopping finish that had Bell Centre fans on the edge of their seats, Cole Caufield cemented his place in Montreal Canadiens history books with a record-breaking overtime goal against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night.
The dynamic forward scored his 11th career regular-season overtime winner at 3:08 of the extra period, breaking a tie with legendary Canadiens Max Pacioretty and Andrei Markov for the most in franchise history.
Third Period Drama Sets Stage for Historic Moment
What should have been a comfortable victory turned into a nail-biter as the Canadiens surrendered a 3-0 third-period lead. The Kraken mounted an impressive comeback with three unanswered goals, forcing overtime and threatening to steal the game.
"It's pretty cool," Caufield said modestly after the game. "Obviously you don't think about that stuff in the moment, but to be in the history books in this organization is pretty special."
Team Effort Behind the Historic Goal
The game-winning play was a masterpiece of teamwork and precision. Nick Suzuki fed a perfect pass to Mike Matheson, who then set up Caufield for the decisive one-timer that beat Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord.
Montreal's victory was built on early dominance, with Juraj Slafkovsky opening the scoring in the first period, followed by second-period goals from Joel Armia and Jake Evans that seemed to put the game out of reach.
Kraken's Valiant Comeback Falls Short
Seattle's third-period resurgence was led by Jared McCann, who scored twice, including the tying goal with just 2:46 remaining in regulation. Jordan Eberle added the other marker during the Kraken's furious comeback attempt.
Despite the dramatic collapse, Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault made 30 saves to secure the victory, including several crucial stops during the overtime period before Caufield's historic winner.
What This Record Means for Caufield's Legacy
At just 23 years old, Caufield's record-breaking achievement signals his growing importance to the Canadiens franchise. His clutch performance in overtime situations has become a trademark of his young career, demonstrating poise and scoring touch when the game matters most.
The victory provides a significant momentum boost for the Canadiens as they continue their season, with Caufield's historic moment serving as a highlight in what promises to be a memorable campaign.
