Yet another voyage across the continent for the Montreal Canadiens with a short two-game trip with stops in Salt Lake City and Dallas. If it seems that they are criss-crossing large distances, it is because they are.
The six games at home out of seven starting Saturday versus Toronto can’t come soon enough for a surely weary team. The Utah Hockey Club was on the agenda as the Canadiens tried to go three games above NHL. 500 for the first time this season.
They did it with a strong final 40 minutes outscoring Utah 5-3.
Wilde Horses
Two of the smallest and most disrespected players in the league are Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson. Both stood out yet again for the Canadiens.
Caufield was not picked for the USA squad for the Four Nations event, even though he is a point-per-game player and is sixth in the league in goals. Caufield is also the second highest scoring American in the NHL behind only Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets. Somehow, that was not good enough.
Hutson is the most exciting player on the Canadiens averaging 23 minutes per game. He leads rookie scoring in the NHL. However, he is, depending on the betting site visited, the second or third favourite for the award.
Third period and the Hutson show continued. He won space streaking towards the net where he saw Caufield’s stick. Hutson basically ripped a shot off of it. Caufield with his 24th goal of the season. He is on pace for 46 goals. The Canadiens led 4-3.
