Sergachev scores overtime winner as Utah Hockey Club beats Canadiens 3-2

<p>Utah Hockey Club's Mikhail Sergachev (98) scores against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault as Canadiens' Jake Evans (71) defends during overtime NHL hockey action in Montreal, Tuesday, November 26, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes</p>

November 26, 2024 - 6:50 PM

MONTREAL - Mikhail Sergachev scored the overtime winner as the Utah Hockey Club defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Tuesday at the Bell Centre.

Sergachev tapped in a pass from Nick Schmaltz with 27 left in the extra period to end the game. Jack McBain and Dylan Guenther also scored for Utah (9-10-3). Karel Vejmelka made 11 saves.

Alex Newhook and Jayden Struble scored for Montreal (7-11-3), which lost its second in a row after a dismal 6-2 defeat to Vegas on Saturday.

Sam Montembeault stopped 26 shots.

Montreal and Utah, which relocated from Arizona over the off-season, met for the first time in NHL play.

Guenther fired a cross-ice pass from Clayton Keller into the top corner to open the scoring at 6:23 of the second period. His 10th of the season came just after Utah’s fourth power play of the night expired.

Struble, who drew into the lineup late after Mike Matheson was a late scratch, answered at 8:05 to tie the game. Fans had enough time to yell “shoooot!” before the defenceman ripped a shot off the crossbar and in.

Newhook pounced on a rebound for his fifth of the season, giving Montreal a 2-1 lead 46 seconds into the third.

Utah equalized at 4:17 as McBain buried a pass from Logan Cooley for his eighth.

Takeaways

Canadiens: The Canadiens spent a lot of time down a man in the first 30 minutes, killing four penalties. Matheson, who leads Montreal in ice-time this season, was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury.

Utah: Rookie Maveric Lamoureux played his 15th NHL game and his first in front of friends and family at the Bell Centre. The 20-year-old from Laval, Que., was swarmed by reporters after morning skate.

Key moment

McBain’s game-tying goal slowed Montreal’s momentum early in the third and forced overtime. The 24-year-old forward scored his sixth in nine games.

Key stat

30 — That’s how many shots the Canadiens have in their last two games. Utah outshot Montreal 14-5 in the first and 8-3 in the second.

Up next

Canadiens: Begin a three-game road trip against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

Utah: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.