Cole Caufield and the Canadiens likely will welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets with open arms for Tuesday's game in Montreal.
Caufield, after all, played a significant role in the Canadiens winning the first two contests of the three-game season series. The 23-year-old capped a three-point performance by scoring in overtime of Montreal's 4-3 victory versus visiting Columbus on Oct. 26, and he also tallied in a 4-2 road win over the Blue Jackets on Nov. 29.
Caufield, however, saw his goal drought extend to 10 games on Saturday in the Canadiens' 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He did have an assist on defenseman Mike Matheson's goal just 38 seconds into the game.
"I thought we had jump the whole game," Caufield said, per the Montreal Gazette. "I think everybody was playing well (on Saturday). We didn't have any passengers and it's a good recipe for success. Just came up short again."
Matheson added an assist on Alex Newhook's power-play goal early in the third period before the team settled for its ninth loss in the last 11 games (2-7-2).
"There's two sides to it where we played a great game and then the competitor in you is still frustrated to play that well against a team like that and not come away with a win," Matheson said.
Matheson scored and set up a goal in the first encounter with Columbus and had two assists in the second.
Matheson's club-best 37 assists are one more than captain Nick Suzuki, who leads the team in goals (25) and points (61). Suzuki totaled one goal and four points in the first two meetings with the Blue Jackets.
As for Columbus, it answered a promising 3-1-0 stretch with a 2-1 setback to the Nashville Predators on Saturday. The Blue Jackets surrendered the first 18 shots of the game before Johnny Gaudreau's 94-foot wrister was easily gloved by Predators goaltender Kevin Lankinen.
"That's on us," Columbus captain Boone Jenner said, per The Athletic. "We just weren't ready to go. Sloppy puck decisions. We weren't able to establish our game at all. That's on us -- preparation, being ready to go."
Daniil Tarasov held the fort by making a career high-tying 47 saves for the Blue Jackets.
"We know (Tarasov's) got great potential, and now he's showing it more consistently," Columbus coach Pascal Vincent said. "It's a big positive evaluation for him moving forward in the future. He's got poise, he's got good hockey sense, he's a big guy, and right now it feels like he's adapting to the NHL game."
Elvis Merzlikins, who holds the franchise record for saves in a game with 56, has been tabbed to start Tuesday's contest. He owns a 3-2-2 record with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage in seven career meetings with Montreal.
Sam Montembeault turned aside 59 of 64 shots to record victories over Columbus in the first two encounters this season. He sports a 4-3-0 record with a 3.20 GAA and a .898 save percentage in eight career contests versus the Blue Jackets.
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