The Canadian blew a three-goal lead against the team at the top of the Eastern Conference, but was able to make amends later.

Cole Caufield was the only player to score in the shootout, and the Montreal club beat the New York Rangers 4-3 at the Bell Center on Saturday night.

Caufield beat Jonathan Quick with a low shot from the glove side. At the other end of the ice, Samuel Montembeault was perfect against the Rangers' three shooters.

The Canadian maintained his perfect record as he took the lead after two periods (10-0-0).

If things were a little more complicated, it would be because the Canadian was a little unlucky. He showed a certain lack of opportunism and was the victim of two deflected goals.

Brendan Gallagher, Sean Monahan and Joel Armia scored points for the Canadian in regular time (17-17-5). Montembeault made 46 saves.

Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (26-10-2). Adam Fox also scored a goal while Quick stopped 28 shots.

Forward Emil Heineman was added to the Canadian's lineup and played a third game with the team this season. He replaced defender Johnathan Kovacevic while coach Martin St-Louis decided to revert to a conventional formation with 12 attackers and six defenders.

The Canadian will play his next game on Wednesday when he visits the Philadelphia Flyers. He will host the San Jose Sharks at the Bell Center the next day.

Lots of action

Gallagher scored with 8:23 left in the first period. He scored his first goal since November 11 by beating Quick on the glove side.

With 408 points in the blue-white-red jersey, the stubborn attacker is also 36th in Canadian history alongside Réjean Houle.

The Canadians were the most dangerous team in the first period, even though the Rangers had a 14-7 advantage in shots on goal.

Despite it all, Montembeault was vigilant, particularly frustrating Panarin and Blake Wheeler during a Rangers power play.

The game became livelier in the second third.

Monahan surprised Quick 69 seconds into the game when his shot deflected off defenseman Ryan Lindgren before finding its way into the goal.

Armia returned to the attack 90 seconds later. He hit Quick with a long shot between the pads.

The Rangers then moved on.

Trocheck first deflected a shot from Erik Gustafsson into the net at 10:28.

Then, at 14:29, he set up a Panarin goal by sliding the puck behind Mitchell Stephens on a faceoff before passing to his accomplice. Panarin shot on reception and Montembeault had no time to react.

Nick Suzuki for the Canadian and Mika Zibanejad for the Rangers reached the post before the end of the second period.

The Canadian had three good chances in the first half of the third period, but neither Juraj Slafkovsky, Armia nor Caufield found the goal.

The Rangers showed opportunism and tied the game 3-3 at 9:30. Fox's long-range shot deflected off defender David Savard before finding the net.

Jake Evans and Mike Matheson were inches away from giving the Canadian the lead late in the third period, but both hit the post.

The NHL's best power play unit also had a chance to give the Rangers a win before the tiebreaker, but Montembeault closed the door.

Montembeault also made an impressive save from Alexis Lafrenière in overtime, prolonging the debate.

Caufield ultimately decided in the shootout.

To watch in the video