Cole Caufield is a 50-goal scorer — the first for the Montreal Canadiens in 36 years.

Caufield beat Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy with a wrist shot at 6:29 of the second period to reach the half-century milestone Thursday, sending a frenzied Bell Centre crowd — including Prime Minister Mark Carney — to its feet.

Linemates Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, who assisted on the goal, jumped into the glass in celebration as the Canadiens took a 1-0 lead in the intense, fight-filled game.

The crowd erupted again when public address announcer Michel Lacroix announced the goal, while Caufield’s father, Paul Caufield, clapped and wiped tears from his eyes.

Caufield is the seventh player in the Canadiens’ 116-year history to score 50 goals in a single season, joining Stéphane Richer, Guy Lafleur, Pierre Larouche, Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion and Maurice Richard.

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Richer was the last to do it, hitting 50 for the second time on March 24, 1990, against the since-relocated Hartford Whalers.

Caufield moved one goal behind Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead. The Avalanche faced the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

The pressure had been building since the 25-year-old American’s 48th and 49th goals last Thursday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, with Caufield going scoreless in three straight games.

Travelling Canadiens diehards lined the boards with signs urging him on during Montreal’s 4-3 shootout win Saturday in New Jersey. In Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to the Devils, one spectator held up the No. 50 in big gold birthday balloons, and fans cheered each time Caufield stepped onto the ice.

He was shut out again Tuesday against the Florida Panthers, but finally broke through Thursday when he received a pass from Suzuki off the rush and fired a shot past Vasilevskiy blocker side.

It continues an impressive run for the five-foot-eight, 175-pound winger, who has scored 29 times in his last 31 games, often beating netminders with his pinpoint shot from sharp angles.

Caufield’s 50 goals include 12 game-winners — five in overtime — 40 even-strength goals and 10 power-play markers. He hit the milestone without scoring an empty-net goal, something he’s never done in his career.

Under head coach Martin St. Louis, Caufield has also developed into a well-rounded player at both ends after entering the league as a pure scorer.

In 78 games this season, he has 50 goals and 87 points, both career highs. Drafted 15th overall by the Canadiens in 2019, he has tallied 168 goals and 138 assists in 364 career games.

The playoff-bound Canadiens (45-22-10) sat third in the Atlantic Division, two points back of the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning, heading into Thursday’s games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2026.

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