Cole Caufield is a 50-goal scorer — the primary for the Montreal Canadiens in 36 years.
Caufield beat Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy with a wrist shot at 6:29 of the second interval to achieve the half-century milestone Thursday, sending a frenzied Bell Centre crowd — together with Prime Minister Mark Carney — to its ft.
Linemates Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, who assisted on the objective, jumped into the glass in celebration because the Canadiens took a 1-0 lead within the intense, fight-filled sport.
The group erupted once more when public handle announcer Michel Lacroix introduced the objective, whereas Caufield’s father, Paul Caufield, clapped and wiped tears from his eyes.
Caufield is the seventh participant within the Canadiens’ 116-year historical past to attain 50 targets in a single season, becoming a member of Stéphane Richer, Man Lafleur, Pierre Larouche, Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion and Maurice Richard.
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Richer was the final to do it, hitting 50 for the second time on March 24, 1990, in opposition to the since-relocated Hartford Whalers.
Caufield moved one objective behind Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead. The Avalanche confronted the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
The strain had been constructing because the 25-year-old American’s forty eighth and forty ninth targets final Thursday in opposition to the New York Rangers at Madison Sq. Backyard, with Caufield going scoreless in three straight video games.
Travelling Canadiens diehards lined the boards with indicators urging him on throughout Montreal’s 4-3 shootout win Saturday in New Jersey. In Sunday’s 3-0 dwelling loss to the Devils, one spectator held up the No. 50 in large gold birthday balloons, and followers cheered every time Caufield stepped onto the ice.
He was shut out once more Tuesday in opposition to the Florida Panthers, however lastly broke by means of Thursday when he acquired a cross from Suzuki off the frenzy and fired a shot previous Vasilevskiy blocker facet.
It continues a formidable run for the five-foot-eight, 175-pound winger, who has scored 29 instances in his final 31 video games, usually beating netminders together with his pinpoint shot from sharp angles.
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Caufield’s 50 targets embody 12 game-winners — 5 in additional time — 40 even-strength targets and 10 power-play markers. He hit the milestone with out scoring an empty-net objective, one thing he’s by no means performed in his profession.
Below head coach Martin St. Louis, Caufield has additionally developed right into a well-rounded participant at each ends after getting into the league as a pure scorer.
In 78 video games this season, he has 50 targets and 87 factors, each profession highs. Drafted fifteenth total by the Canadiens in 2019, he has tallied 168 targets and 138 assists in 364 profession video games.
The playoff-bound Canadiens (45-22-10) sat third within the Atlantic Division, two factors again of the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning, heading into Thursday’s video games.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 9, 2026.
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