Dallas – The Montreal Canadiens delivered a commanding performance at the American Airlines Center on Thursday night, defeating the Dallas Stars 5-2. The scoring barrage was led by Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook, each contributing two goals to secure the victory.
Key moments and player highlights
Caufield opened the scoring early, striking a one‑timer at 7:24 of the first period. Just 27 seconds later, Newhook broke a 1‑1 tie, and Caufield followed with a second goal that slid behind Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, giving Montreal a lead they would not relinquish.
Early in the second period, Newhook added his second goal, extending the lead to 4‑1. The Stars’ penalty kill, which had been on a 27‑kill streak, recorded its 25th kill before the goal, but the Canadiens continued to press.
Phillip Danault capped the scoring for Montreal with an empty‑net goal and an assist, while Dallas managed a goal and an assist from Wyatt Johnston and a goal from veteran Jamie Benn.
Goaltending and defensive notes
Jakub Dobes recorded 17 saves in his first win since the opening night of the season, helping the Canadiens maintain a perfect 4‑0 record in games played at Central Division arenas. Dobes stepped in for rookie Jacob Fowler, who has been on a winning streak but was unavailable for this matchup.
Oettinger, who entered the season third in the league with a 1.43 goals‑against average, allowed four goals on 20 shots, the most he has given up in a single game this season.
Team context
The Canadiens are riding a four‑game winning streak, all on the road, and have done so without captain Nick Suzuki, who is sidelined with an upper‑body injury expected to keep him out for two to four weeks.
Dallas, meanwhile, entered the game after a five‑game winning run that ended with a 5‑1 loss to New Jersey earlier in the week. The Stars are now 3‑2‑0 in the final game of a six‑game homestand.
Looking ahead
Montreal’s next challenge is a home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, while the Stars will host the Columbus Blue Jackets the same night.
Original reporting: Fort Worth, TX Sports (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
