Caufield shut down, Montembeault’s 34 saves wasted, and more: 3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens lost 2-1 in SO to Dallas Stars

The Montreal Canadiens lost 2-1 in the shootout against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night at the Bell Centre. While the Stars extended their current winning streak to seven games, the Canadiens’ three-game roll was snapped.

Patrik Laine (PPG) scored in his return for the Montreal Canadiens, with Jamie Benn getting his 12th of the season for the Stars. Both goals were scored in the second period, roughly two minutes apart.

So, here’s a look at the three key reasons why the Montreal Canadiens lost in the shootout against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.

3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens lost to Dallas Stars

#3 No luck in the shootout

The Montreal Canadiens failed to score in the shootout. The Habs sent Patrik Laine, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki against Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger. However, Oettinger stopped all three shots, with Jason Robertson being the lone scorer for the Stars.

It’s worth pointing out that Oettinger was fantastic against the Habs. He stopped 30 of 31 Montreal shots, keeping the Stars in the game all night long.

#2 Montembeault outing wasted

The Canadiens got an equally solid outing from Samuel Montembeault, who made 34 saves in total. The Montreal netminder was great in holding the fort, particularly in overtime where Dallas outshot the Habs 4-1. The Stars had a couple of scoring chances that Montembeault stopped, giving the Canadiens a chance to win the game.

The contest ended up in the shootout, where Montembeault stopped one of two shots. However, Robertson’s goal was the difference, giving Dallas the extra point. Had one of the Montreal shooters scored in the shootout, the Habs could have pulled out the win.

However, the Canadiens failed to score and allowed the Stars to skate away with the two points. It was too bad the Habs couldn’t back up their goalie’s strong performance by scoring more than one goal.

#1 Cole Caufield shutdown

Cole Caufield has been a difference-maker all season long. Unfortunately, the Stars did a great job of keeping him quiet throughout the night. The same goes for captain Nick Suzuki who managed one assist for the Habs.

Other key players for the Montreal Canadiens like Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach failed to register on the scoresheet. Unfortunately for Montreal, they couldn’t get past a strong Dallas defensive scheme. But given how close the game was, a player like Caufield could have made a significant difference, potentially lifting the Habs past the Stars.

The Canadiens will get a day off on Monday before heading to Utah to open a two-game road trip against the Hockey Club and the Stars.