The Montreal Canadiens snapped a two-game skid with a dramatic 3-2 shootout victory over the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, in a game overshadowed by a heartfelt tribute to a franchise icon.
An Ovation for a Legend
The night at the Bell Centre belonged to former defenceman Andrei Markov long before the puck dropped. The 46-year-old, who played 990 games over 16 seasons for Montreal after being a sixth-round pick in 1998, was honored in a pre-game ceremony. The emotional ovation from the Montreal faithful lasted for two minutes and fourteen seconds, a tribute televised exclusively on RDS and not on the national Sportsnet broadcast.
A Game of Momentum Swings
The Jets, reeling from a players-only meeting called by captain Adam Lowry after a recent slump, opened the scoring late in the first period. Mark Scheifele, still serenaded with boos from Montreal fans for a 2021 playoff hit, beat goaltender Jakub Dobes. The Canadiens responded in the second period when Juraj Slafkovsky converted a slick pass from behind the net by Cole Caufield to tie the game.
Winnipeg's Kyle Connor restored the lead just 1:53 later, but Montreal rookie Oliver Kapanen answered back barely two minutes after that, knotting the game at 2-2. The score remained deadlocked through a frantic third period and overtime, sending the game to a shootout.
Caufield Seals It in the Skills Competition
In the shootout, Cole Caufield scored the only goal, snapping the puck past Jets goalie Eric Comrie. Winnipeg's Gabriel Vilardi hit the post in the third round, sealing the extra point for the Habs. Despite the shootout heroics, it was noted that Caufield has not scored in regulation against Winnipeg in 10 career games.
The victory was a team effort. Captain Nick Suzuki and Caufield each extended their point streaks to seven and nine games, respectively, with assists. Dobes was stellar, posting a .935 save percentage. The physical tone was set early when Arber Xhekaj fought the much larger Adam Lowry after Lowry leveled Alexandre Carrier.
Post-game, the Canadiens announced the loan of forward Florian Xhekaj and defenceman Adam Engstrom, both healthy scratches, to the AHL's Laval Rocket. The win provided a positive note for Montreal after recent struggles, while the Jets were left to ponder the results of their team meeting after earning just a single point.
