Defenceman Alexandre Carrier scored two second-period goals in a span of 20 seconds, helping the Montreal Canadiens to an 6-3 win over the slumping Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Monday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Noah Dobson also scored for Montreal (26-14-6), while Jakub Dobes made 19 saves to earn the win in goal.
Centre Elias Pettersson, Evander Kane and Max Sasson replied for the Canucks (16-24-5), who are winless in their last seven games. Nikita Tolopilo took the loss between the pipes, stopping 34 of 40 shots.
In the first half of the opening period, Tolopilo was solid as the Habs had an 8-1 shots on goal advantage. Against the run of play, Vancouver opened the scoring when Pettersson knocked home a rebound off a Filip Hronek shot for his 12th goal of the season at 11:53.
Montreal pulled even at 1-1 on the power play at 18:13. Captain Nick Suzuki won a faceoff back to Dobson, who moved into the slot and beat Tolopilo high to the glove side. Dobson now has nine goals on the year.
Shots after one period favoured Montreal 14-7.
In the middle frame, Kane gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead at the 1:50 mark, knocking in a rebound after a Montreal turnover. Kane has seven goals for the season.
Montreal tied it at 2-2 when Suzuki found Carrier in the slot, and he beat Tolopilo for his second goal of the year. Just 20 seconds later, he tallied again, this time chipping home a pass from Juraj Slafkovsky to make it 3-2.
Drew up a perfect pass to Sass.
pic.twitter.com/jp4VkLO5X3
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 13, 2026
At 9:42, Sasson evened the score at 3-3, converting a nice pass from Drew O’Connor and scoring his ninth of the year.
The Habs erupted for three goals in the first 6:05 of the third before cruising to the win.
Matheson ripped a shot from the top of the circle at the 29-second mark, his fifth goal of the year.
Slafkovsky scored his 17th at 1:07, taking a feed from Ivan Demidov and snapping a shot past Tolopilo from the right offensive circle.
Kapanen added his 16th of the year at 6:05, finishing another nifty pass from Demidov.
The Canucks continue their six-game road swing Tuesday (4 p.m.) when they visit the Ottawa Senators.
NOTES: Larry Robinson (1977-78) holds the record for fastest two goals by a Montreal defenceman, 19 seconds… Vancouver defenceman Zeev Buium, a centrepiece of a trade that sent former Canucks captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, was a healthy scratch… The Canucks were also without injured players Thatcher Demko, Kiefer Sherwood, Marco Rossi, Filip Chytil, Teddy Blueger and Derek Forbort… Vancouver was 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Habs converted their only chance… Montreal blocked 25 shots, compared to nine for the Canucks.