Canadiens Cruise Past Predators to Begin Road Trip

Cole Caufield scores 45th goal as Montreal wins fourth straight

Mar. 29, 2026 at 6:15am

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The Montreal Canadiens kicked off their critical five-game road trip with a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Cole Caufield continued his chase for the Maurice Rocket Richard trophy with his 45th goal of the season, while Jacob Fowler made 23 saves to help the Canadiens secure their fourth consecutive win.

Why it matters

The Canadiens are in a tight race for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, so this road trip will be crucial to their postseason hopes. Meanwhile, the Predators are clinging to a wild card spot in the West and need to pick up points to solidify their position.

The details

Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Alex Newhook also scored for the Canadiens, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Zachary L'Heureux spoiled Fowler's shutout bid late in the third period. The Predators had several chances to get on the board but were unable to solve Fowler until the final minutes.

  • The Canadiens opened the scoring with 8:26 remaining in the first period.
  • Montreal doubled its lead just under four minutes into the second period.
  • Caufield made it 3-0 for the Canadiens with 5:43 left in the second.
  • Newhook extended the lead to 4-0 with 3:37 remaining in the middle frame.
  • L'Heureux scored the Predators' lone goal late in the third period.

The players

Cole Caufield

A forward for the Montreal Canadiens who is chasing the Maurice Rocket Richard trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer.

Jacob Fowler

The goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens who made 23 saves in the victory.

Zachary L'Heureux

A forward for the Nashville Predators who scored the team's lone goal in the third period.

Roman Josi

The captain of the Nashville Predators who recorded an assist on L'Heureux's goal.

Erik Haula

A forward for the Nashville Predators who had a chance to score on the power play but hit the post.

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What they’re saying

“This was a big win to start the road trip. We know how important these next few games are, so it was crucial to get off on the right foot.”

— Cole Caufield, Forward, Montreal Canadiens

What’s next

The Canadiens will continue their road trip with games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Washington Capitals over the next two weeks. The Predators will look to bounce back and solidify their playoff position in the Western Conference.

The takeaway

The Canadiens' dominant performance on the road showcases their depth and scoring prowess as they make a push for a high seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Meanwhile, the Predators' struggle to generate offense against a stingy Canadiens defense highlights their need to find more consistent scoring threats if they hope to maintain their hold on a wild card spot.