Canadiens' Caufield Breaks Lafleur Record for Most Go-Ahead Goals

The 22-year-old forward has established himself as a perennial scoring threat in the NHL.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 2:39am

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Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield continued to cement his status as a prolific goal-scorer in the NHL, breaking a franchise record held by the legendary Guy Lafleur. Caufield scored two go-ahead goals against the Washington Capitals, tying and then surpassing Lafleur's single-season record of 20 go-ahead goals set in 1977-78.

Why it matters

Caufield's record-breaking performance is a testament to his rapid development into one of the league's most dangerous offensive players. At just 22 years old, he is already drawing comparisons to Canadiens greats like Lafleur and is on pace to become the first Habs player to score 40 goals in a season since 1993-94.

The details

Caufield opened the scoring against the Capitals just 30 seconds into the game, beating goalie Charlie Lindgren on a breakaway for his 34th goal of the season and 20th go-ahead tally. He then scored his 35th goal and 21st go-ahead marker at 14:19 of the first period, one minute after Alexander Ovechkin had tied the game for Washington. Ovechkin scored again to make it 4-2, but the Canadiens pulled away with goals from Caufield's linemates Kirby Dach and Nick Suzuki, as well as Jake Evans and Mike Matheson.

  • Caufield scored his 20th go-ahead goal 30 seconds into the game.
  • Caufield scored his 21st go-ahead goal at 14:19 of the first period.

The players

Cole Caufield

A 22-year-old forward for the Montreal Canadiens who is emerging as one of the NHL's most prolific goal-scorers.

Guy Lafleur

A legendary forward for the Montreal Canadiens who held the franchise record for most go-ahead goals in a single season with 20, set in 1977-78.

Alexander Ovechkin

A forward for the Washington Capitals who scored two goals in the game against the Canadiens.

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The takeaway

Caufield's record-breaking performance is a testament to his rapid development into one of the NHL's elite goal-scorers. At just 22 years old, he is already drawing comparisons to Canadiens legends and is on pace to become the first Habs player to score 40 goals in a season since 1993-94, cementing his status as a cornerstone of the franchise's future.