Cole Caufield 1st Canadiens player to hit 50-goal milestone since 1990

MONTREAL — Cole Caufield is the primary Montreal Canadiens player to rating 50 objectives in a season in additional than three a long time.

Caufield scored his fiftieth in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday evening to hit the mark final reached by Stephane Richer in 1990, 35 seasons in the past.

“Whenever he has a chance to shoot it, there’s a high chance it’s going in,” captain Nick Suzuki stated final week. “He’s just playing the right way, doing the right things and he’s getting rewarded for it.”

The 25-year-old from Wisconsin is the seventh player in franchise historical past to rating 50 objectives. Guy LaFleur did it six occasions, Richer twice and Maurice Richard, Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion and Pierre Larouche as soon as every.

Caufield is correct there with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon within the NHL goal-scoring race for the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. His 86 factors in his first 77 video games had been already 16 away from his earlier profession excessive, and his play helps Montreal cruise into the playoffs.

“We’re focused on our team game and winning games, and I think individual stuff comes with that,” Caufield stated, echoing a chorus from coach Martin St Louis, a Hall of Fame player. “But doing the right things, you get more chances and opportunities.”