Canadiens vs Blue Jackets Recap: Habs Rally but Fall 4–3 in Shootout

This Canadiens vs Blue Jackets recap breaks down how Montreal rallied from 3–1 down, only to fall in a shootout in Columbus. The Montreal Canadiens did almost everything right in the final 25 minutes in Columbus — they erased a 3–1 deficit, dominated overtime, and had the game on their stick in the dying seconds. But in the end, a hot goalie and a confident scorer on the other side made the difference.

Kirill Marchenko picked up two assists in regulation and buried the shootout winner as the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the Canadiens 4–3 at Nationwide Arena on November 17, 2025. NHL+1

Montreal got goals from Oliver Kapanen, Josh Anderson and rookie defenceman Lane Hutson, who finished with a goal and an assist in one of his most complete NHL performances so far. Goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 20 of 23 shots, but the Canadiens’ four-game winless slide continued; they are now 0-3-1 in their last four and 1-3-3 in their past seven.

For Columbus, it was another step in the right direction during a quiet, under-the-radar surge. The Blue Jackets extended their point streak to five games (3-0-2) behind a strong outing from Jet Greaves, who made 29 saves and turned aside both Cole Caufield and Ivan Demidov in the shootout.

Canadiens vs Blue Jackets Recap: Key Stats at a Glance

• Final: Blue Jackets 4 – Canadiens 3 (SO)

• Shots on goal: Montreal 32 – Columbus 23

• Overtime shots: Montreal 6 – Columbus 0

• Power play:

  • Columbus: 1-for-3 (Voronkov PPG)

  • Montreal: 0-for-3

• Goalies:

  • Jakub Dobes (MTL): 20 saves on 23 shots

  • Jet Greaves (CBJ): 29 saves on 32 shots + perfect in shootout

• Blue Jackets scoring: Werenski, Fantilli, Voronkov; Marchenko shootout winner

• Canadiens scoring: Kapanen, Anderson, Hutson; Caufield in shootout

Game Flow: From Flat Start to Furious Comeback

Slow Start, Costly Middle

Columbus was the sharper team early. Zach Werenski opened the scoring in the first period with a shot from the high slot through traffic, capitalizing on soft coverage and a delayed reaction from the Habs’ defence.

Montreal briefly tilted the ice early in the second. Mike Matheson jumped in off the left side and threaded a pass into the slot for Oliver Kapanen, who one-timed home his seventh of the season to tie the game 1–1.

But the middle frame once again exposed some of the Canadiens’ recurring issues:

• A failed puck retrieval behind the net led to Adam Fantilli restoring Columbus’ lead, 2–1.

• A defensive-zone penalty gave the Blue Jackets a power play, and Dmitri Voronkov promptly deflected Marchenko’s feed in front to make it 3–1.

For a club already fighting confidence after a tough stretch, it looked like the kind of night that could easily get away from them.

Third-Period Response

Instead, Montreal pushed back.

Midway through the third, Joshua Roy and Hutson combined to spring Josh Anderson driving to the net. Anderson chested down a bouncing puck and slid it past Greaves to cut the deficit to 3–2 — a classic “power forward” goal that injected life into the bench.

With the goalie pulled and under 90 seconds remaining, Hutson took centre stage. Stationed above the left circle, he walked into a lane and ripped a shot through traffic that beat Greaves cleanly, tying the game 3–3 and completing the comeback.

Montreal carried that momentum into overtime, outshooting Columbus 6–0 and generating the best chance of the extra frame when Demidov was robbed in tight with just seconds left.

The shootout, however, was all Blue Jackets. Cole Caufield scored once for Montreal, but Kent Johnson and Marchenko both converted for Columbus before Greaves sealed it by stopping Demidov’s last attempt.

Lane Hutson’s Breakout Performance

Boxscore and Beyond

Boxscore: 1 goal, 1 assist, tying goal late in regulation.
The eye test: even better.

Hutson was Montreal’s most dynamic skater for long stretches:

• Constantly available as a late option in the offensive zone

• Confident walking the blue line and changing shooting angles

• Willing to attack downhill rather than settling for low-danger point shots

His equalizer wasn’t a fluke — it was the natural result of a defenceman who’s starting to understand how much time and space he can create for himself at the NHL level. Multiple analysts and fans singled him out postgame as Montreal’s best player on the night.

For a team that’s been desperate for a true offensive driver on the back end, performances like this from Hutson are a big piece of the “next-wave” puzzle.

Oliver Kapanen and the Center-Depth Question

With Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook already on the shelf, every game feels like a stress test for Montreal’s center depth. This one didn’t fully answer the question, but Kapanen continues to build his case.

Finding Soft Ice, Finishing Like a Veteran

On his goal, Kapanen did three subtle things well:

1. Faded into a pocket of space between Columbus defenders rather than drifting too low.

2. Opened up his stance early to be ready for a one-timer.

3. Elevated the puck quickly from the hash marks, beating Greaves cleanly.

Those are pro habits, and they’re showing up more often in his game. On a night where Montreal’s long-term plan down the middle is once again under scrutiny, Kapanen looked like a player who belongs in the conversation rather than a placeholder.

This game also feeds directly into the bigger-picture debate we covered in our [Habs center-depth deep dive here] — should Kent Hughes stay patient with internal options, or eventually pay a premium for a long-term 2C?

Columbus’ Core Pieces Keep Rolling

This wasn’t just about Montreal. Columbus used the night to quietly reinforce that their own core is starting to click.

Marchenko’s Point Streak, Fantilli’s Finishing

• Kirill Marchenko extended his point streak to 12 games, collecting two assists plus the shootout winner. He now has 15 points over that stretch and is playing like a legitimate top-six fixture.

• Adam Fantilli added another goal from in tight, giving him four in his last five games — a sign that he’s finding his scoring touch at the NHL pace.

• Voronkov and Werenski each finished with a goal and an assist, underscoring how balanced Columbus’ attack can be when their big pieces are engaged.

Between that and Greaves’ steady work in net, the Jackets’ five-game point streak doesn’t look accidental.

What This Loss Means for the Canadiens

Process vs. Results

The mood around the Habs right now is a mix of frustration and cautious optimism.

On one hand:

• They’ve lost four straight and have just one win in their last seven.

• Defensive lapses and penalties in the second period keep putting them behind the eight ball.

• The power play continues to sputter, going 0-for-3 while Columbus cashed in once with the man advantage.

On the other hand:

• They showed real pushback on the road, rallying from 3–1 down.

• Young players — Hutson, Kapanen, Demidov — were central to the comeback rather than passengers.

• Dobes looked composed despite limited NHL experience, and hasn’t been the problem during this slump.

Insiders around the team have framed the effort as a step in the right direction, if not the breakthrough game Montreal badly needs. NHL

Looking Ahead

The Canadiens now return home to face the Washington Capitals before a divisional showdown with the Maple Leafs — two games that will test whether Monday’s late push in Columbus was a one-off or the start of a genuine turnaround.

If nothing else, this Canadiens vs Blue Jackets recap underlines the same theme we saw all week: the Habs’ margin for error is tiny, especially down the middle

• The future core — Hutson, Kapanen, Demidov, Dobes — is very real.

• The present-day margin for error remains razor thin, especially down the middle.

For more on where the Habs go from here, including potential trades and internal solutions at center, check out our [full breakdown of Montreal’s center-depth options] and our [latest rookie standouts & hidden gems feature] on HockeyInformers.com.