The Moment the Ice Belongs to Him

There are players who survive overtime — and then there are players who own it.

When the lights dim just enough to make the rink feel smaller, when every breath from the crowd seems to hang between hope and panic, that’s when Cole Caufield steps forward. He doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t blink. He simply takes the moment — and turns it into his.

At just twenty-four years old, the Montreal Canadiens’ young winger has become something more than a scorer. He’s become a phenomenon.

What he does in overtime borders on myth. He moves through the chaos with the confidence of a veteran sniper, yet with the joy of a kid still chasing his first breakaway goal. The city feels it. The fans in the Bell Centre feel it. And, lately, even opposing goaltenders are starting to feel it too — in their nerves, in their body language, in the split-second hesitation that comes from knowing they’re facing someone who lives for sudden death.

Tuesday night was no exception. Against the Seattle Kraken, when Montreal’s 3–0 cushion evaporated into a tie, the air in the arena grew thick — the kind of tension that once used to break the Canadiens apart. But this version of Montreal, led by Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, doesn’t wilt anymore.

And so, when the game tilted into overtime, everyone knew what was coming.

The puck found him. The moment slowed. One flick of the wrist later, it was over.

The red light flashed. The crowd erupted. The Canadiens had won — and history quietly shifted.

That goal, Caufield’s ninth of the season, marked his eleventh career overtime winner — the most in franchise history. Think about that for a moment. More than Max Pacioretty. More than Howie Morenz. More than the legends whose photos line the Bell Centre hallways.

Eleven times, one young man has turned pressure into poetry.

It’s the kind of statistic that shouldn’t belong to someone his age. And yet, for anyone who’s watched him closely, it somehow feels inevitable.

What drives him? What makes a player not just good in big moments — but addicted to them?

Ask around the Canadiens’ locker room, and you’ll get quiet smiles, knowing looks, and a few shrugged shoulders. It’s not arrogance. It’s mystery. Even his teammates have a hard time explaining it.

Except one.

The captain.

Nick Suzuki knows. He sees it every practice, every game, every shift where the puck seems magnetized to number 13’s stick. He knows what changes in Caufield’s eyes when the scoreboard reads “3-on-3.”

When Suzuki finally decided to describe it, his answer wasn’t about stats or strategy. It wasn’t even about skill. It was about something deeper — something instinctual.

A sentence that, once you hear it, makes every highlight reel goal suddenly make sense.

Because if there’s one person who understands what makes Cole Caufield different, it’s the man who passes him the puck when everything’s on the line.

And this week, Nick Suzuki finally told us.

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (left) Cole Caufield (right)

Photo credit: All Habs/ NHL

At just 24 years old, Cole Caufield is already making history with the Montreal Canadiens.

In only 298 games, he has already etched his name into the Canadiens’ record book.

On Tuesday night against the Seattle Kraken, the young forward once again proved he’s the King of clutch moments.

After the Habs had let a 3-0 lead slip away, it was once again him who played the hero.

His ninth goal of the season was also his eleventh career overtime goal. That puts him alone at the top in franchise history, ahead of Max Pacioretty and Howie Morenz.

That’s crazy!

Nick Suzuki Sheds Light on What Makes Cole Caufield So Special

In an interview, captain Nick Suzuki didn’t hesitate to explain why Caufield is so dangerous in those moments:

“He wants the puck on his stick in those overtime moments, he knows he can score from anywhere, in any situation. He’s been the fastest to some overtime goals in history, so he’s pretty good at that.”

– Nick Suzuki

I think that perfectly sums up number 13’s instincts. It really feels like he shines brightest when the pressure is on.

When he has the puck, you just know anything can happen – especially in 3-on-3. The trio of Caufield, Hutson, and Suzuki is incredibly dangerous in overtime.

I wouldn’t take many other trios across the league before the Habs’ line.

It’s clear that Caufield benefits from the 3-on-3 format introduced in 2015 – a style of play that suits him perfectly, with his speed and creativity.

If he keeps this up, the name Cole Caufield could very well become synonymous with “clutch.”

Unfortunately for Caufield, Team USA appears to have overlooked him, as he wasn’t even included in the projected Olympic roster.