For the Canadiens to remain in the thick of the Atlantic Division leadership race, they needed to earn six of eight points, as well as wins against division rivals such as the Buffalo\u00a0Sabres\u00a0and Ottawa Senators. However,\u00a0Buffalo completed a convincing\u00a0win,\u00a0and the Senators forced the Canadiens to dig deep for the win during\u00a0Hockey Day in Canada.<\/a>\u00a0This week\u2019s\u00a0Three Stars of the Week for Jan. 12\u201318 provided Montreal the elite level of play they\u00a0required\u00a0to keep pace in the NHL\u2019s most difficult division.\u00a0<\/p>\n Third Star \u2013 Lane Hutson\u00a0<\/p>\n Lane Hutson<\/a>\u00a0deserves some\u00a0recognition as one of the Canadiens\u2019 standout performers for the week of Jan. 12\u201318, 2026. He\u00a0was a\u00a0driving force from the blue line\u00a0at\u00a0both ends of the ice\u00a0that consistently impacted\u00a0games. He\u00a0combined\u00a0playmaking, offensive production, and heavy minutes\u00a0as he averaged 25 minutes per game\u00a0while\u00a0remaining\u00a0on pace for more than a point per game this season.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Most\u00a0notably, in\u00a0Montreal\u2019s\u00a06\u20135\u00a0comeback win over the Ottawa Senators<\/a>, Hutson tallied\u00a0three assists,\u00a0one of which set a franchise record.<\/p>\n His play in\u00a0those\u00a0games underlines\u00a0his elite vision and ability to set up scoring chances and keep the Canadiens\u2019 power play and transition game humming. Over the\u00a0course\u00a0of the week, he also posted\u00a0a\u00a0two-point\u00a0game\u00a0in a loss to the\u00a0Sabres\u00a0and\u00a0added another assist against the\u00a0Vancouver\u00a0Canucks. His offensive consistency and overall work ethic have allowed him to quickly become a lynchpin for the Canadiens\u2019 rebuild and an emerging NHL star.\u00a0<\/p>\n Second\u00a0Star \u2013 Cole Caufield\u00a0<\/p>\n Cole\u00a0Caufield<\/a> started the week with a single assist in the win against the Canucks, went silent in the game against the Washington Capitals, but\u00a0began\u00a0to produce again in the loss to the\u00a0Sabres. At the conclusion of all four games for\u00a0the week, he had three goals and six points.\u00a0The evolution of his two-way\u00a0play\u00a0shows he is no longer a one-dimensional\u00a0pure\u00a0goal-scorer. Instead, he\u2019s a more complete\u00a0player\u00a0who can compete against\u00a0top lines.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite the lopsided\u00a0gaming analytics,<\/a>\u00a0Montreal was able to find a way to steal two points from its division rivals in Ottawa. They were able to do so in large part due to the\u00a0three-point\u00a0performance provided by Caufield.\u00a0He scored two goals,\u00a0including the game-winner just 33 seconds into overtime,\u00a0and added an assist to key a 6\u20135 rally from a two-goal deficit late in the third period.<\/p>\n His two goals keep him on pace for a 40-goal season, and if he achieves this milestone, he will become the first Canadiens player to do so since Vincent Damphousse scored 40 back in the 1993\u201394 season. His overtime goal\u00a0was a\u00a0show of both skill and poise under pressure that directly swung the game in Montreal\u2019s favour. This effort not only highlighted his role as a premier offensive threat but also underscored his knack for delivering in \u201cbig-moment\u201d\u00a0situations, making him\u00a0a\u00a0standout Canadiens performer of the week.\u00a0<\/p>\n First Star \u2013 Juraj\u00a0Slafkovsky\u00a0<\/p>\n Juraj\u00a0Slafkovsky\u00a0continues to stand out<\/a>\u00a0as one of Montreal\u2019s best performers this past week, thanks to his consistent and clutch offensive contributions in key games. To start the week, he scored\u00a0a timely\u00a0goal in the Canadiens\u2019 6\u20133 win over the Canucks,\u00a0adding an\u00a0insurance marker less than one minute after Montreal took a 4\u20133 lead in the third period. His three-point game fueled a decisive surge that swung momentum in Montreal\u2019s\u00a0favour.<\/p>\n He was kept off the scoresheet for the games against the\u00a0Sabres\u00a0and the Capitals, yet continued to battle and force the forecheck for his line despite the lack of production.\u00a0<\/p>\n Then, in the dramatic come-from-behind 6\u20135 overtime victory against the Senators,\u00a0Slafkovsky\u00a0again made\u00a0a big impact\u00a0by scoring twice. His first goal of the game was his\u00a060th career goal and 150th career point in his 249th career game. He is now third in most goals before turning 22 years old in Canadiens history, behind Stephane Richer (91) and Henri Richard (62). <\/p>\n His second goal, a deflection while setting a screen in the slot, was\u00a0critical to the comeback for Montreal late in the third period, underscoring his ability to deliver in high-leverage moments. His production and\u00a0timely\u00a0scoring over the week solidified his place among the team\u2019s most effective players.\u00a0<\/p>\n There were several deserving players for this edition, with some flying\u00a0under\u00a0the radar due in part to the highlights this week\u2019s stars generated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"Tyler](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Tyler-Kleven-Senators-Cole-Caufield-Canadiens-1200x800.jpg\")
Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven defends his position against Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"SUBSCRIBE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Canadiens_Banner-1200x122.jpg\")
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