Caufield, Hutson vow to be better for Canadiens in Game 2

Article content

BUFFALO — Twice during the regular season, Cole Caufield went a stretch of eight games with just one goal.

Article content

The Montreal Canadiens sniper finds himself in a similar situation in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. This time, the aim to rediscover his scoring touch takes on much more urgency.

Article content

Article content

After scoring 51 goals in 81 games during the regular season, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche in that offensive category, Caufield is sitting on one goal in eight playoff games heading into Game 2 of his team’s Eastern Conference second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

What’s more, Caufield has registered just 14 shots on goal through the first-round win against the Tampa Bay Lightning and a Game 1 loss against the Sabres. That’s a pace of 142 shots in 81 games; Caufield had 258 shots in 81 games during the regular season.

What does the 25-year-old think about his post-season performance to this point?

“As a whole, probably not where I want it to be,” Caufield said on Thursday after taking part in the Canadiens’ optional practice at the KeyBank Center. “I expect more out of myself, and my teammates do too.”

Article content

Article content

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis had a simple answer when he was asked about Caufield’s scoring woes: “Just keep putting him out there. Players are competitors. They’re hungry, they want more. Just keep him out there.”

No hand-wringing

No one involved with the Canadiens is getting anxious. There’s the belief, as there should be, that Caufield will return to familiar productive territory in a series with the Sabres that many expect to go the full seven games.

Caufield indicated he’s in a good mental space.

“I want to be better, I want to produce more, but you can’t lack confidence in this league,” Caufield said. “Once you do, I think that’s when you really start to struggle. The confidence is there. There’s no worries here.”

It’s not just Caufield who was fending off negative thoughts following the series opener.

Star defenceman Lane Hutson also was on the ice on Thursday, trying to erase his first-period memories from Game 1. After taking an uncharacteristic tripping minor in the first minute, Hutson was visibly frustrated after he fell in the neutral zone and the Sabres took advantage to open the scoring.

Article content

“I feel like everyone kind of came ready to play, except me, honestly,” Hutson said. “(Crappy) bounce or whatever, but you have to be able to make a better play there. It’s a bad feeling, for sure, but we’ll move on and go on to the next.”

St. Louis wasn’t surprised that Hutson was the first Canadiens player on the ice on Thursday.

“I don’t want to get in Lane’s way,” St. Louis said. “I just let Lane be Lane. It’s rare that he’s not ready to play, so I’m not going to stand in his way of his own preparation, how it builds his confidence.

“I feel like the rink is a sanctuary for him. I was the same way. I wouldn’t want a coach to get in my way of what makes me feel good, what prepares me for the game. So I let him be.”

One difference in this series than what the Canadiens experienced in the first round against the Lightning is that open space should be more readily available. There where glimmers of that in Game 1, but it’s the responsibility of the Canadiens to push the pace more on Friday and take better advantage when the chances arise.

Article content

It should fit nicely with a player of Caufield’s talent, but it can’t be assumed.

“I feel we anticipated that there was probably more time and space, but it wasn’t guaranteed,” St. Louis said. “Maybe from game to game, it might be different, but even if you anticipate something, I feel you have to go through it, feel it and live it. And I think that’s what we did.”

Take charge from puck drop

Just not to the point that the Canadiens, after falling behind 2-0 and 4-1 in an eventual 4-2 loss, could make a difference on the scoreboard.

In Game 2, there can be no adjustment period for the Canadiens from the opening faceoff. Further reminders probably won’t be required in game preparation on Friday morning.

“Buffalo’s a really good team, and if you look at what they’ve done, December on, it’s pretty impressive,” St. Louis said. “But I can’t say that I learned anything (in Game 1, that he didn’t know about the Sabres already).

“I will tell you that I know we can play with them. We’re just going to have to do some things a bit better.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

Article content