MONTREAL — Sam Montembeault made 47 saves, Cole Caufield scored on a first-period power play and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0 on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.
Caufield scored at 7:48 of the opening period, finishing off a tic-tac-toe play with Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach. The Canadiens went 1-for-5 on the power play after going 0-for-30 in the preseason.
Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves for Toronto after projected starter Joseph Woll was held out of the lineup. Coach Craig Berube said Woll had “lower body tightness.”
Canadiens: Montembeault became the seventh Canadiens goalie to keep a shutout in the season opener. He has two career NHL shutouts.
Maple Leafs: Toronto had trouble getting out of the penalty box, receiving five minor penalties in the first 40 minutes. The Maple Leafs went 0-for-4 on the power play and had three posts in the second period.
Midway through the second period, Montembo made a glove save on a first-inning score by Auston Matthews, who led the NHL in goals last season with 69.
Caufield has scored for the third straight season against the Maple Leafs. The 23-year-old American scored his 150th career point in his 206th game, making him the fastest Canadian to reach that mark since Saku Koivu in 1997-98.
Both teams are back in action Thursday night. The Canadiens are in Boston and the Maple Leafs visit New Jersey with former Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe.
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