The Montreal Canadiens delighted fans Tuesday night at the Bell Centre, with Cole Caufield and rookie Ivan Demidov standing out during a thrilling 5-4 overtime win against the Seattle Kraken.

Player Introductions Set the Stage

As is customary during NHL home openers, each player was introduced individually amid raucous fanfare. The Canadiens’ roster, the youngest opening-night squad in the league at an average age of 25.8, skated to centre ice for their moment in the spotlight. While every player received cheers, Caufield and Demidov earned the loudest ovations.

Caufield’s Clutch OT Goal

Caufield, 24, sealed the win with a game-winning goal at 3:25 of overtime. This marked his second goal of the night and his third in four games, reinforcing his role as a clutch performer.

“(Caufield’s goals) are usually pretty nice, and in big moments,” said Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki. Head coach Martin St. Louis praised Caufield’s overall game, noting, “He’s a complete player right now. He’s not a big player, but he doesn’t play small.”

Demidov’s Calm Under Pressure

Demidov kept the Canadiens in the game with a critical equalizer late in the third period. Moving the puck from forehand to backhand, he patiently outwaited Kraken goalie Joey Daccord to tie the score at 4-4 and send the game to overtime.

“It wasn’t my plan on this one, but it was just instinct,” said Demidov. Suzuki added, “He loves a big moment. That was a huge goal to send us to overtime and put us in a good spot.”

Young Core Showing Promise

Montreal’s young roster has been performing well early in the season, currently in a three-way tie atop the Atlantic Division with a 3-1 record. Alex Newhook, who played his 300th career NHL game against the Kraken, highlighted the team’s depth: “Our young guys are playing really well to start the year… We’re going to need everyone to play their part.”

Front Office Stability

Earlier in the day, the Canadiens extended five-year contracts for general manager Kent Hughes and hockey executive Jeff Gorton, who was also promoted to President of Hockey Operations. Both executives played pivotal roles in Montreal’s playoff qualification last season, the team’s first in four years.

Honouring a Legend

The Canadiens also paid tribute to Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden, who passed away on September 5. A tribute video highlighted his legendary eight-year career, and his signature mask was displayed atop the net in his honour.