Caulfield scores in OT as Canadiens beat Red Wings 3-2

DETROIT — Cole Caufield scored a power-goal at 4:04 of overtime, Cayden Primeau stopped 27 shots for his first win of the season and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Thursday night to snap a four-game skid.

Mike Matheson had a goal and two assists, and Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for Montreal, which ended an 0-3-1 slide.

Christian Fischer and J.T. Compher had goals for the Red Wings. James Reimer finished with 23 saves.

In the extra period, Caufield zipped a high wrist shot over Reimer’s left shoulder for his fifth goal of the season. It was Reimer’s holding penalty that had put Montreal on the power play.

“I like being in those situations,” Caufield said. “Obviously, you want to win the game in regulation, but you have to play the game that’s in front of you, and I was proud of the way we played.”

Primeau, the son of Hall of Famer Keith Primeau — who spent his first six NHL seasons in Detroit — was making just his second start of the season.

“It’s a historic organization, plus it is cool to win where my dad started,” Primeau said.

With Montreal carrying three goalies, Primeau has been left watching behind Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault. He lost 5-2 to New Jersey in his other start on Oct. 24.

“I’m not going to lie — it hasn’t been easy,” Primeau said. “I just have to do whatever I can to stay sharp and be ready whenever my name is called.”

Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis praised the patience and work ethic of his No. 3 goalie.

“He’s had to wait his turn, but he’s been a great teammate and worker,” St. Louis said. “We knew he deserved a start, and we thought tonight was the right night. He took advantage of it.”

With the score tied after two periods, the Canadiens took the lead early in the third on a power-play goal by Suzuki. Using Monahan as a screen, Suzuki fired a low shot past Reimer on the short side 26 seconds in for his fifth. The Canadiens’ captain has scored in three straight games and four of the past five.

Detroit tied it again when Compher picked the top corner over Primeau’s shoulder at 6:02.

Detroit’s first-period woes continued as the Canadiens scored the only goal of the opening period. Left open in the high slot, Matheson took a drop pass from Alex Newhook and snapped a quick shot over Reimer’s left shoulder at 7:02.

The Red Wings have been outscored 8-1 in the first period of their last eight games and are 2-5-1 over that stretch.

“All in all, it didn’t feel like we had a lot of jump tonight,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “It felt like we were chasing it the whole time. Probably fortunate or happy to get a point the way it played out.”

The Canadiens thought they’d doubled their lead when Sean Monahan scored in the second period. However, following a Detroit coach’s challenge, the goal was reviewed and Montreal’s entry into the zone was ruled offside at the blue line.

Late in the second, Detroit tied it when Michael Rasmussen’s shot banked in off Fischer’s left glove for his first.

After opening the season 5-1, the Red Wings have lost six of eight (2-4-2) overall and four of their last five (1-3-1) at home

“It looked like we just came out with a ton of confidence the first 5-6 games,” Detroit defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “Everything was going in the net for us. Everyone was feeling good. And then we lose that feeling.”

UP NEXT

Canadiens: Host Boston on Saturday night

Red Wings: Host Columbus on Saturday afternoon.

___

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL