About Last Night: Habs outshot but pull off 3-2 OT win over Yotes

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Sam Montembeault made 37 saves to backstop the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 overtime win over the Arizona Coyotes in their Mullett Arena debut on Monday night.

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In the cozy confines of Arizona’s new, temporary 5,000-person home, the Habs were doubled up in shots for much of the evening, but Mike Hoffman ended it during three-on-three to snap a three-game losing streak for his club.

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Mike Matheson didn’t fly with the club to Tempe, so the Habs were once again down a couple of regulars on the blue line. It showed early, with the Coyotes peppering Montembeault with 17 shots in the first, but it remained scoreless after the opening period.

Cole Caufield opened scoring less than a minute into the second, drifting towards the middle of the ice before beating Karel Vejmelka with a wrist shot.

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The Coyotes responded 35 seconds later. Their dynamic duo Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz teamed up to tie it up 1-1.

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Just over three minutes later, Arber Xhekaj’s shot hit traffic on the way to the back of the net to make it 2-1 Habs. The goal was eventually given to former Yote Christian Dvorak.

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To close out the brief burst of offence, red hot rookie Matias Maccelli blazed towards the net and beat Montembeault five-hole to square things up.

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No goals in the third period, sending the game into overtime. The Coyotes barely touched the puck in the extra frame, and after regrouping in neutral ice, Kirby Dach entered the zone and dished to Hoffman in the slot, who connected on his shot for Montreal’s first win at the Mullett.

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The Habs finish off the calendar year with five more road games, so even though the Habs were badly outshot, they’ll take all the points they can get with a gruelling stretch coming up.

Anthony Richard played his first game as a Hab and the farmhand showed big league wheels in just under 11 minutes of ice-time. The Liveblog commenters were relatively impressed. With Josh Anderson once again starting on the top line and finishing elsewhere, is it time to open the audition process for Suzuki and Caufield’s linemate? If so, Evgenii Dadonov just got his fifth point in eight games. Also in the comments: more love for Xhekaj and some disagreements over Chris Wideman’s +2 performance.

Thanks to all the commenters who stayed up late for this one.

3. “Hoffman has been hiding that shot lately. Nice goal.” -Bob Taylor

2. “Xhekaj is always noticeable each night, wither it’s a big hit, a goal or fight, just very calm out there.” -Ryan Katz

1. “Would rather see Richard than Pitlick.” -Marc Taillefer