Uncharacteristic Caufield moment cameras caught is raising red flags for fans

Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Cole Caufield’s frustration came out Saturday night, and the cameras caught all of it.

The Montreal Canadiens sniper had visible body language moments throughout Game 6 in Buffalo.

Sportsnet captured the unraveling as the Habs watched a series they could have closed slip back into the Sabres’ hands.

That’s what an early playoff exit nearly happening looks like from a star. The 25-year-old has been the offensive identity of this Habs team for years, and he’s not used to losing.

The numbers reflect the slump. Caufield has 1 goal across 11 playoff games at minus-5 on a 7.85 million cap hit.

His regular season produced 51 goals and 88 points in 81 games at plus-29. The drop has been steep.

Martin St-Louis has stuck with his star through the slump. The Habs head coach didn’t change line combinations to chase the goal. He bet on Caufield to break out, and the wait has cost the team.

The frustration is exactly the kind of moment St-Louis can use. Hockey players don’t let it out on camera unless they care, and Caufield clearly cares.

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St-Louis brings his snipers home for a Game 7 they have to win

Game 7 lands Monday at Bell Centre. The Canadiens get the home ice for the deciding game, and the loud building will be waiting.

The Habs were one win away from advancing twice. Twice, they couldn’t close. Now they have one more chance on home ice with the season on the line.

Ivan Demidov finally broke his playoff scoreless drought a few games ago. The 20-year-old Russian rookie has been generating chances all series. Caufield is the next domino to fall.

Phillip Danault and Mike Matheson have been doing the dirty work in the defensive zone. Juraj Slafkovsky leads the team in playoff power play goals. The support pieces are producing.

What’s missing is the captain-level finishing from Caufield. One goal across 11 games is the kind of stretch that ends teams’ postseason runs.

The Sabres bench is the underdog story now. Lindy Ruff has been working with a patched lineup. Sam Carrick is scratched. Jason Zucker took a block injury. Buffalo has somehow forced this to seven games anyway.

That’s the part nobody predicted. The Habs were the heavier team on paper.

The Caufield frustration is the kind of thing that either drives a player to elevate or buries them deeper. Game 7 will tell us which way the 25-year-old is wired.

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