The Canadiens are not expected to compete for a playoff spot this season. The point they wasted on Wednesday night likely won’t haunt them in April.

Montreal’s 6-5 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena to open the regular season definitely had some negative aspects. But there were also many positive aspects.

A team that is expected to be challenged offensively scored five goals against one of the NHL’s elite teams, while also scoring a power-play goal on four opportunities – an area where Montreal has struggled.

And yes, the Canadiens blew a 2-0 lead in the second period with 18 minutes between shots, but the visitors also erased a 3-2 deficit with three consecutive goals in the third period and went ahead with slightly more goals 5:3 in the lead. There are still more than eight minutes left in regular time.

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis wants a team with grit; one that will never leave. And in at least one game, his players fulfilled that mission.

Now Montreal must learn to stay ahead. Two late Leafs goals, both by Auston Matthews and both scored with goaltender Ilya Samsonov on the bench, sent the teams into overtime in which neither team managed to score, sending the game to penalties.

“We were definitely emotionally challenged,” St. Louis told reporters in Toronto after the game. “For me, that’s a big part of this league. We were emotionally challenged in the second period, and we were emotionally challenged at the end of the third period. You learn from it. There’s nothing you can do. It is finished. Let’s go.”

After Noah Gregor scored Toronto’s first goal with a weak shot from the left circle that Allen should have stopped, Matthews tied the game at 2-2 with a power play goal at 14:51 of the second period. It was Matthews’ 300th career goal in just his 482nd game. He also scored his eighth career hat-trick.

William Nylander scored the Leafs’ other goal late in the second period. Matthews and Nylander both scored a team-high 40 goals for Toronto last season.

“It was definitely a roller coaster ride,” Suzuki said.

The Canadiens appeared to have taken control of the game in the second period when a power play goal from Caufield briefly gave Montreal a 3-0 lead. But the Leafs challenged the play and after a video review, Caufield was determined to be offside.

Toronto converted the penalty and Gregor scored, giving the Leafs some life before Matthews and Nylander finished the period with power play goals. Montreal was outscored 16-2 in the frame, offering little support to the beleaguered Allen.

“Of course it’s difficult when, after the excitement of being 3-0 up, you’re down 3-2 pretty quickly,” admitted Suzuki. “It’s just a matter of dealing with your emotions.”

Newhook, who won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022, scored a modest 14 goals and 30 points in 82 games with the Avalanche last season. Montreal acquired him last June in a trade for first- and second-round draft picks along with AHL prospect Gianni Fairbrother.

Newhook worked well with Dach, who had two assists and three shots while logging 21:22 of ice time. Slafkovsky was also involved, scoring three goals and one shot during his 15:25 minutes on the ice.

“There are emotional fluctuations in the game,” said Dach. “You have to learn to find ways to keep moving forward. Don’t take your foot off the accelerator.”

On a Canadiens team that doesn’t seem to have a clear No. 1 goalie, Allen had a turbulent evening. While he looked weak in scoring three goals, he also faced 42 shots – 29 in the final two periods alone – and made some strong saves, most notably in overtime, denying Matthews on a breakaway and then Matthew Knies.

But his .881 save percentage that night wasn’t good enough.

The Canadiens now return home for three games, starting Saturday night against Chicago and first-round draft choice Connor Bedard, who scored his first NHL goal in the Blackhawks’ 3-1 loss to Boston on Wednesday.