The Montreal Canadiens delivered a memorable performance on a night dedicated to a franchise legend, edging the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in a shootout on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the Bell Centre. The victory provided a perfect backdrop for the celebration of former defenceman Andrei Markov, whose career was honoured in an emotional pre-game ceremony.
A Night for the General: Markov's Emotional Ovation
The evening belonged to Andrei Markov long before the puck dropped. The revered defenceman, who played 990 games for Montreal from 2000 to 2017, received a thunderous, two-minute standing ovation from the Bell Centre faithful. A man of few words, Markov addressed the crowd, expressing gratitude to the organization, fans, and former teammates, including P.K. Subban, who was in attendance.
Habs Rally for a Tight Victory
On the ice, the Canadiens sought to rebound from a blowout loss to Ottawa. The game was a tightly contested goaltending duel between Montreal's Jakub Dobes (29 saves) and Winnipeg's Eric Comrie (29 saves), who is filling in for the injured Connor Hellebuyck.
Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele, still booed by Habs fans for his 2021 playoff hit on Jake Evans, opened the scoring late in the first period. Montreal responded on the power play in the second, with Juraj Slafkovsky scoring his second man-advantage goal in as many games, assisted by Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.
The Jets regained the lead less than two minutes later on a Kyle Connor snipe, but the Habs' new-look second line answered. Ivan Demidov set up Oliver Kapanen for the tying goal, with recent arrival Alexandre Texier earning an assist.
Xhekaj's Spark and Caufield's Clutch Finish
The game featured a momentum-shifting fight in the first period. After Jets captain Adam Lowry delivered a clean hit on Alexandre Carrier, his defence partner Arber Xhekaj immediately stepped in, engaging Lowry in a spirited scrap that electrified the crowd.
After a scoreless third period and overtime, the game proceeded to a shootout. On the first attempt, Cole Caufield deftly changed speeds and beat Comrie for what proved to be the winner. Dobes sealed the 3-2 victory with a save and by forcing Gabriel Vilardi to hit the post.
Lineup Shakeup Pays Dividends
Coach Martin St. Louis made significant changes after the Ottawa loss. He reunited a stacked top line featuring Slafkovsky, while giving Alexandre Texier an audition on the second line with Kapanen and Demidov. The move appeared successful, with the line combining for the tying goal. Jared Davidson drew into the lineup over Florian Xhekaj.
The win provided a needed bounce-back for the Canadiens, who face a packed holiday schedule. The performance on Andrei Markov's special night offered a blend of nostalgic celebration and a hard-fought, character-building victory for the current squad.
