- - Quick strikes from Caufield and Anderson help Canadiens rally for 7-5 win over Hurricanes

BOB SUTTON January 2, 2026 at 11:15 AM

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1 / 5Canadiens Hurricanes HockeyMontréal Canadiens' Oliver Kapanen (91), Ivan Demidov, center, and Noah Dobson (53) celebrate a goal by Sammy Blais, not shown, against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson scored 23 seconds apart in the second period, and the Montreal Canadiens erased a two-goal deficit in beating the Carolina Hurricanes 7-5 on Thursday night.

Sammy Blais had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who have a five-game point streak after winning for the third time in four games. Nick Suzuki, Oliver Kapanen, Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson also scored.

Alexander Texier added two assists and Jakub Dobes made 20 saves for Montreal.

Sebastian Aho had two goals and three assists to become the first Carolina player with more than three points in a game this season. Andrei Svechnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers each added a goal and two assists. Alexander Nikishin had one goal and one assist, but the Hurricanes lost for the second time in their last six home games.

Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi stopped 16 shots but took his second regulation loss in 16 games. He was trying to match the franchise record of 13 consecutive games with at least one team point.

Suzuki, who scored the last two Montreal goals Tuesday at Florida, scored 3:12 into the game and the Canadiens went up 2-0 just 56 seconds later on Kapanen’s goal.

The Hurricanes had rapid-fire offense with goals from Ehlers, Aho and Svechnikov in a span of about four minutes. Carolina’s second power-play goal came from Nikishin only 54 seconds into the second period for a 4-2 lead.

When Blais scored at 5:01 of the second, the Canadiens had three goals on eight shots. Caufield and Anderson scored at 16:23 and 16:46, respectively, to regain the lead.

Slafkovsky gave Montreal a 6-4 cushion at 11:20 of the third. Aho’s second goal came with 3:02 remaining after Bussi was pulled for an extra skater. Hutson's empty-netter came with two minutes left.

Up next

Canadiens: Saturday at St. Louis.

Hurricanes: Saturday at home against Colorado.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Source: “AOL Sports”