The Montreal Canadiens rallied from two separate deficits before Cole Caufield scored his second goal of the night at 3:19 of overtime to defeat the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Monday, September 21, at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, according to the Montreal Canadiens game recap.
The preseason game was held as part of Kraft Hockeyville celebrations honouring Saint-Boniface, Que., the 2025 winning community.
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Montreal Canadiens: Caufield completes Canadiens comeback
Ottawa opened the scoring just 1:29 into the game when William Eklund converted a pass from Dylan Cozens in his first appearance with the Senators.
Montreal answered at 4:33 of the opening period through defenceman Jayden Struble, who beat goaltender Samuel Ersson to tie the game.
Cozens restored Ottawa’s lead at 19:47 of the second period after locating a rebound in front of the Montreal net.
The Canadiens forced overtime when Caufield scored on the power play at 11:59 of the third period following a give-and-go play with Lane Hutson.
Caufield then finished the comeback in overtime on a setup from captain Nick Suzuki and Hutson, giving Montreal its third preseason win in as many games.
Senators see new additions in action
Eklund made his Senators debut after Ottawa acquired him from the San Jose Sharks in June.
Ersson also played his first game for Ottawa after joining the club in an off-season trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ersson kept the Senators in the game with 33 saves, including 11 in the third period before Caufield’s overtime winner.
Montreal split its goaltending duties between Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes, who combined for 18 saves.
For Ottawa, Cozens finished with a goal and an assist, while Eklund scored once in his first game wearing a Senators jersey.
A major night for Saint-Boniface
The game marked the centrepiece of a celebration for Saint-Boniface, a Mauricie community located near Trois-Rivières that was selected as the 2025 Kraft Hockeyville winner.
Because of logistical requirements, the NHL preseason game was staged at the larger Colisée Vidéotron rather than the community’s local arena.
Saint-Boniface received $250,000 toward upgrades at Aréna de Saint-Boniface, along with $10,000 in youth hockey equipment through the NHL Players’ Association’s Goals & Dreams program.
Community volunteers and young players took part in events surrounding the game, including an on-ice clinic, a barbecue, player appearances and a ceremonial presentation of the Kraft Hockeyville trophy.
The crowd in Trois-Rivières gave the game a strong home-region atmosphere, with Canadiens jerseys filling much of the arena and local children participating in the pre-game ceremonies.
What comes next for Montreal and Ottawa
The Canadiens and Senators will meet again on Saturday, September 26, when they play simultaneous split-squad preseason games in Montreal and Ottawa.
One Montreal group will host Ottawa, while another Canadiens squad will travel to the nation’s capital.
The two games will conclude the shortened NHL preseason schedule before the 2026-27 regular season begins, as outlined in the NHL preseason game recap.
For Montreal, Caufield’s late-game production provided another encouraging result during a preseason that has already included consecutive overtime victories.
For Ottawa, the game offered an early opportunity to evaluate Eklund, Ersson and other roster candidates in a high-profile setting before final roster decisions are made.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the score between the Canadiens and Senators in Trois-Rivières?
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overtime on September 21, 2026.
Who scored the overtime winner for Montreal?
Cole Caufield scored the overtime winner at 3:19 of the extra period after also tying the game in the third period.
Why was the game played in Trois-Rivières?
The game was part of Kraft Hockeyville celebrations for Saint-Boniface, Que., the 2025 winning community.
Who scored for Ottawa?
William Eklund scored in his Senators debut, while Dylan Cozens added Ottawa’s second goal.
When will the Canadiens and Senators play next?
They are scheduled to meet in split-squad preseason games on Saturday, September 26, with one game in Montreal and another in Ottawa.
Fact-Checked: Key game details, scoring, player debuts, event context and Saint-Boniface funding were checked against official NHL, Canadiens and Senators information.
Disclaimer: This was an NHL preseason game, so the result does not count toward the regular-season standings.