Suzuki, Caufield combine to give Canadiens shootout win over Flyers
Caufield #Caufield
Nick Suzuki scored on a backhander for the winning goal in a shootout to give the Canadiens a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday at the Bell Centre.
Cole Caufield scored his second goal of the night — and 11th of the season — with 1.9 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. That matched Kevin Hayes’ go-ahead goal for the Flyers earlier in the third period.
The game marked the long-awaited Canadiens debut for defenceman Mike Matheson and it was difficult to ignore his presence, although not all of his mentions on the scoresheet were positive.
He scored a goal to give the Canadiens their only lead of the game in the second period and he was credited with a hit and a blocked shot, but he was also on the ice for the first two Philadelphia goals, picked up a double-minor for high-sticking Joel Farabee and gave the puck away three times.
Matheson snapped 2-2 tie when he scored from the slot at 11:55 of the second period. The goal, which came seconds after Caufield hit the side of the net. The goal brought an end to 7:26 of nonstop, end-to-end action.
The Flyers got that one back after Arber Xhekaj and Nicolas Deslauriers were sent off for a fight, which was inevitable if somewhat of an anticlimax. Owen Tippett scored his second goal of the night off the ensuing faceoff.
The Canadiens couldn’t have had a worse start as the Flyers scored twice before the game was three minutes old and the new defence pair of Matheson and Joel Edmundson was minus-2.
The Flyers needed only 39 seconds to open the scoring on a goal by Travis Sanheim. Matheson tied up Scott Laughton as he attempted to redirect a pass from Zach MacEwen, but Laughton caught up wth the puck when it bounced off the end boards and he passed to Sanheim in the slot.
Sanheim picked up an assist on Tippett’s shot from the blue line at 2:55 with Edmundson providing an unintended screen on Jake Allen.
The Canadiens came back to tie the game later in the period. Christian Dvorak scored off a goalmouth scramble at 4:18. Carter Hart made the initial save on Brendan Gallagher in front, but Hart failed to control the rebound and Dvorak tapped the puck home.
The situation room in Toronto was kept busy after Sean Monahan jammed the puck in front during a power play. The initial call on the ice was the puck didn’t cross the goal line. A lengthy review showed the puck had crossed the line, but Flyers coach John Tortorella challenged for goaltender interference and a much shorter review determined Monahan pushed Hart’s pad and the puck into the net, and the goal was disallowed.
A minute later, the Canadiens were handed a 5-on-3 advantage when Laughton joined Kieffer Bellows in the penalty box and Caufield scored his 10th goal of the season from his office in the left faceoff circle.
This was the Canadiens’ annual Hockey Fights Cancer game and luxury box holders donated their tickets to young cancer patients and their parents in association with Leucan, which is committed to providing support for cancer-stricken children and their families in addition to promoting clinical research.
phickey@postmedia.com
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