The Montreal Canadiens have officially secured their second consecutive trip to the NHL playoffs, becoming the first Canadian franchise to clinch a post-season berth this season. However, the celebration was tempered on Sunday, November 7, 2025, as the Novel Jersey Devils snapped Montreal’s eight-game winning streak with a decisive 3-0 victory.
The Canadiens punched their ticket to the playoffs earlier on Sunday after the Detroit Red Wings fell 5-4 to the Minnesota Wild. Despite the milestone, Montreal appeared drained following a grueling road trip, struggling to find their rhythm in the loss to the Devils.
Devils Dominate in Shutout Victory
New Jersey took control early, with Timo Meier opening the scoring at 10:47 of the first period. The goal came after a shot from Jack Hughes slipped through Montreal goaltender Jacob Fowler’s legs and struck the post before Meier tapped it in. The Devils extended their lead at 18:12 of the second period when Cody Glass burst through the neutral zone and beat Fowler five-hole.
Connor Brown sealed the win with an empty-net goal, completing a 3-0 shutout for Jacob Markstrom. Markstrom stopped 18 shots to record his first shutout of the season. For the Devils (40-24-3), the win provides a critical boost as they fight to keep their slim post-season hopes alive.
Caufield Falls Short of Milestone
A major storyline of the evening was Cole Caufield’s pursuit of his 50th goal of the season. After scoring his 48th and 49th goals on Thursday against the New York Rangers, Caufield remained one goal shy of the milestone for the second consecutive game. Despite high anticipation from the crowd, including fans holding “No. 50” balloons, Caufield was unable to convert, with two promising one-timers in the third period sailing wide.
Montreal’s offense struggled throughout the night, registering only eight shots across the first two periods and going 0-for-4 on the power play. Jacob Fowler finished the game with 17 saves for the Canadiens (45-22-10).
A Bittersweet Weekend for Montreal
The Sunday loss followed a high-note victory on Saturday, November 6, 2025, where Montreal capped an undefeated five-game road trip with a 4-3 shootout win over the Devils. Whereas the weekend ended in defeat, the Canadiens enter the final stretch of the season with the confidence of a guaranteed playoff spot.
Meanwhile, Jack Hughes continued his personal dominance over the Canadiens. With two assists on Sunday, Hughes extended his point streak against Montreal to six games, dating back to November 7, 2024, totaling four goals and eight assists over that span.
Fans can find more updates on the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils matchups as both teams navigate the closing weeks of the season.
