SALT LAKE CITY — In an exciting matchup on Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens secured a 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club, thanks in part to a remarkable performance by Kirby Dach, who netted two goals.

Joining Dach on the scoresheet were Mike Matheson, Patrik Laine, and Cole Caufield, contributing to Montreal’s impressive record of winning eight of their last ten games.

Lane Hutson showcased his skills with three assists, while Alexandre Carrier provided two assists. Goaltender Sam Montembeault made a solid 22 saves throughout the game.

On the other side, Logan Cooley, Josh Doan, and Nick Bjugstad found the net for Utah, with Clayton Keller supplying two assists. Karel Vejmelka stood strong in goal, finishing with 21 saves.

A notable moment in the contest came when John Marino made his debut for Utah following back surgery in October. The team acquired him from New Jersey in June, and his return was highly anticipated after he had missed 42 games.

Montreal faced some early challenges in the game, having allowed a 5-on-3 power-play goal just 2 minutes and 11 seconds into the first period. The Canadiens managed to convert one of their six power-play opportunities throughout the night.

Despite a tough night, Utah remained competitive; Bjugstad’s goal, which came with just 54 seconds remaining in the first period, bounced off Montembeault’s back. Unfortunately for Utah, that stroke of luck wasn’t sufficient to turn the game in their favor.

A defining moment for Montreal occurred when Caufield scored his team-leading 24th goal of the season, tipping in a shot from Hutson at 6:33 into the third period.

In a key statistical note, the Canadiens were outshot 25-26 overall after recording only three shots in the first period.

Looking ahead, Utah will host the New York Rangers on Thursday, while the Canadiens will be on the road battling the Dallas Stars on the same day.