Canadiens light it up in third period to defeat Canucks 6-3

Canadiens player Alexandre Carrier (45) scores a goal in the second period of a National Hockey League (NHL) game against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Montreal, Quebec. (The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi)

After creating numerous scoring chances, the Canadiens were tied after 40 minutes. They opened the floodgates in the third period.

Mike Matheson, Juraj Slafkovsky and Oliver Kapanen each scored in the final 20 minutes as Montreal defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-3 Monday at the Bell Centre.

Alexandre Carrier scored two goals in 20 seconds to reach 100 career points. Noah Dobson also scored, and the Canadiens earned their sixth win in eight games.

Ivan Demidov finished with three assists, one more than Nick Suzuki and Alexandre Texier.

Canuck goaltender Jakub Dobes allowed three goals on 23 shots. Elias Pettersson, Evander Kane and Max Sasson scored.

Dobes was playing his first game since Jan. 1, when Montreal beat the Carolina Hurricanes 7-5. His previous start, on Dec. 21, ended in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With starter Thatcher Demko sidelined for one to two weeks due to injury, Vancouver sent 25-year-old Nikita Tolopilo to the net. The Belarusian made 35 saves in his seventh NHL game.

The Canucks suffered their seventh straight loss.

The Canadiens were scheduled to fly to Washington later Monday to face the Capitals on Tuesday, the first of three consecutive road games, followed by visits to the Buffalo Sabres Thursday and the Ottawa Senators Saturday.

Calm before the storm

Montreal’s first real chance came early and gave Tolopilo an opportunity to shine.

After a Demidov shot was blocked, Kapanen was in position at the netmouth to redirect the rebound, but Tolopilo, assisted by Kane, stopped the puck on the goal line with his stick.

Texier tested the Canucks’ goalie again shortly after receiving a pass from Dobson, but Tolopilo came out on top.

Kaiden Guhle later hit the crossbar midway through the first period.

These missed opportunities opened the door for Vancouver, who scored first at 11:51.

After blocking a point shot from Filip Hronek, Dobes couldn’t stop Pettersson, who recovered the rebound and scored through the Czech goalie’s legs.

A hooking penalty to Brock Boeser with under two minutes remaining in the first period allowed the Canadiens to head into the dressing room tied.

Early in the second period, a similar scenario unfolded. Following several quality chances for Montreal, a turnover by Arber Xhekaj led to Vancouver’s second goal at 1:50.

Xhekaj’s pass in the heart of his defensive zone was intercepted by Aatu Räty, who fired on net. Dobes made the first save but went down, allowing Kane to score in the upper net.

The Canadiens kept attacking, and this time they capitalized, as shown by Carrier’s two goals in 20 seconds.

On his first, Carrier drove into the slot and accepted a pass from Suzuki before shooting low to the stick side. On his second, he received a pass from Slafkovsky on a two-on-one rush and redirected it into the top corner.

The Quebec defenceman now has 16 goals and 101 points in 342 games with the Nashville Predators and Montreal.

Vancouver responded quickly. A defensive lapse between Guhle and Xhekaj left Drew O’Connor alone in front of Dobes, and he scored at 9:42 despite the goalie’s movement.

Xhekaj was on the ice for all three Canuck goals and finished minus-3.

Montreal started the third period in style, scoring two goals in 38 seconds to seize control. Matheson scored his fifth of the season with a wrist shot at 29 seconds, and Slafkovsky added his 17th moments later.

Kapanen completed the scoring at 6:05 after a play set up by Slafkovsky and Demidov. The Finnish forward leads NHL rookies this season with 16 goals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 12, 2026.