Texier scores shootout winner, Montreal Canadiens top Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1

By Canadian Press on December 6, 2025.

TORONTO — Alexandre Texier scored the shootout winner as the Montreal Canadiens topped the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 on Saturday night.

Cole Caufield, who also scored in the shootout, also had a goal in regulation for Montreal (15-9-3). Jakub Dobes made 22 saves through regulation and overtime.

Scott Laughton replied for Toronto (13-11-4). Dennis Hildeby stopped 33 shots as the Leafs saw their three-game winning streak snapped. The netminder got the start for Toronto after Joseph Woll joined Anthony Stolarz on injured reserve earlier in the day.

The Canadiens, who topped the Leafs 5-2 at home Nov. 22 to open Toronto’s recent six-game road trip with a thud, connected on their second man advantage at 8:25 of the middle period when Caufield slid his 15th goal of the season past Hildeby. The Montreal winger extended his point streak to 10 games for the second double-digit run of his career.

Laughton replied for Toronto on a short-handed breakaway at 10:28 of the third — his third goal of the season and third in as many games — when he blasted a slapshot past Dobes from the hash marks to set up the late drama.

Takeaways

Maple Leafs: Head coach Craig Berube said Woll will be out “a week … hopefully” after leaving Thursday’s 5-1 victory in Carolina over the Hurricanes after two periods with a lower-body injury.

Canadiens: Lane Hutson’s 55 assists in 2025 has him two shy of tying Guy Lapointe (1976) and P.K. Subban (2015) for the second-most in a calendar year by a Montreal defenceman. J.C. Tremblay tops the list with 57 assists in 1971.

Key moment

Texier moved in on Hildeby in the shootout and used a one-handed deke to score before Dobes stopped John Tavares at the other end to seal the win.

Key stat

Toronto blueliner Morgan Rielly played the 900th regular-season of his NHL career. The 31-year-old ranks eighth all-time in franchise history. George Armstrong holds the record at 1,188 games.

Up next

Canadiens: Host the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

Maple Leafs: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press