Texier scores shootout winner, Montreal Canadiens top Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1

Montréal Canadiens left wing Alexandre Texier (85) scores the game winning goal on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby (35) during shootout NHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

TORONTO — Alexandre Texier scored the shootout winner as the Montreal Canadiens topped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 on Saturday night.

Cole Caufield, who also scored in the shootout, also had a goal in regulation for Montreal (15-9-3). Jakub Dobes made 22 saves through regulation and overtime.

Scott Laughton replied for Toronto (13-11-4). Dennis Hildeby stopped 33 shots as the Leafs saw their three-game winning streak snapped. The netminder got the start for Toronto after Joseph Woll joined Anthony Stolarz on injured reserve earlier in the day.

The Canadiens, who topped the Leafs 5-2 at home Nov. 22 to open Toronto’s recent six-game road trip with a thud, connected on their second man advantage at 8:25 of the middle period when Caufield slid his 15th goal of the season past Hildeby. The Montreal winger extended his point streak to 10 games for the second double-digit run of his career.

Laughton replied for Toronto on a short-handed breakaway at 10:28 of the third — his third goal of the season and third in as many games — when he blasted a slapshot past Dobes from the hash marks to set up the late drama.

Takeaways

Maple Leafs: Head coach Craig Berube said Woll will be out “a week … hopefully” after leaving Thursday’s 5-1 victory in Carolina over the Hurricanes after two periods with a lower-body injury.

Canadiens: Lane Hutson’s 55 assists in 2025 has him two shy of tying Guy Lapointe (1976) and P.K. Subban (2015) for the second-most in a calendar year by a Montreal defenceman. J.C. Tremblay tops the list with 57 assists in 1971.

Key moment

Texier moved in on Hildeby in the shootout and used a one-handed deke to score before Dobes stopped John Tavares at the other end to seal the win.

Key stat

Toronto blueliner Morgan Rielly played the 900th regular-season of his NHL career. The 31-year-old ranks eighth all-time in franchise history. George Armstrong holds the record at 1,188 games.

Up next

Canadiens: Host the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

Maple Leafs: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press