Canadiens defeat Dallas Stars to extend winning streak
Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook each scored two goals to help Montreal secure a 4-0 record on their road trip through the Central Division.
The Montreal Canadiens secured a 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night, capturing their fourth consecutive win during a strong road trip through Central Division rinks. Forward Cole Caufield and forward Alex Newhook led the offensive charge by scoring two goals apiece for Montreal.
Head coach Martin St-Louis adjusted his lineup for the matchup, promoting Newhook to the first line alongside Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky. The strategic shift paid immediate dividends as the newly configured top line contributed significantly to the visiting team's success.
Caufield opened the game's scoring with a one-timer at 7:24 of the first period. After Dallas tied the game, Caufield tallied his second goal just 27 seconds after Newhook broke the tie late in the opening frame, giving the Canadiens a lead they would not relinquish.
Newhook added his second goal early in the second period, capitalizing on a fortunate ricochet off the boards behind the net that Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger lost track of. Phillip Danault later sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal, while Danault and Noah Dobson each contributed an assist.
In the crease, goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 17 of 19 shots to earn his first victory since the opening night of the season. Dobes received the start over rookie Jacob Fowler, who had successfully won his previous six consecutive starts.
The ongoing success comes even as the Canadiens navigate the absence of captain Nick Suzuki, who has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since October 20. Montreal has managed a 4-0 record while playing without their team captain.
With the win concluding their road trip, the Canadiens improved their overall record to 8-3-2 and prepared to return home to the Bell Centre to host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.