Cole Caufield owes a lot more than a can of Coca-Cola to Nick Suzuki for saving his butt and allowing the Canadian to win an important 19th victory. His selfish and costly punishment midway through the third period could have been costly.
• Also read: The Canadian is in the mix more than ever!
• Also read: [EN PHOTOS] Lane Hutson and family visited sick children at Montreal’s Ronald McDonald House before Christmas
There was a time not so long ago when a young 24-year-old player would have warmed the bench and received a ton of complaints from his coach for taking revenge on an opponent in offensive territory.
Times in the NHL have changed.
“Cole is not a guy who takes a lot of punishment. I ask him to get involved a lot physically and he does it a lot. He got hit by a big guy and I understand his frustration, explained Martin Saint-Louis about his sniper pecked by the big Tyler Myers after the victory in overtime against the Canucks.
If he had the opportunity to go back in time, he wouldn’t do it again, he added on this useless stick hit from his attacker having been stamped in the ramp while fighting for the puck. But we were at a point in the match where it was difficult to make him pay the price.
“It would be easy for Cole to just score goals and stay out without getting physically involved, but that’s not what we’re asking of him.”
In the locker room, Caufield was the first to say it was a stupid punishment at a time when his team was leading 4-3.
“It was selfish on my part,” admitted the author of the first goal of the match. I have to be better and keep my emotions, he replied. It was at a bad moment in the match.”
Best match
Another to whom Caufield will owe more than a “can” of Coca-Cola is Lane Hutson. The rookie defender played nothing less than his best career game thanks to his three points (1 goal and two assists). In the third period, he first participated in Kirby Dach’s goal, scored his first goal at the Bell Center and set up Suzuki’s winning goal.
Photo Martin Chevalier
“It was really special,” said the 20-year-old guard who wasn’t even trying to beat Kevin Lankinen, but rather to join Emil Heineman near the net. I took advantage of a lucky leap.
“It’s a team victory,” he added. We have to build on that.”
Indeed, because the Habs in October and November would not have managed to make up for a two-goal deficit after 25 minutes of play by conceding two quick goals.
