Caufield joins Canadiens' exclusive 50-goal club

MONTREAL --Cole Caufieldis the firstMontreal Canadiensplayer to score 50 goals in a season in more than three decades.

Caufield scored his 50th against theTampa Bay LightninginThursday night's 2-1 winto hit the mark last reached by Stephane Richer in 1990, 35 seasons ago.

"Whenever he has a chance to shoot it, there's a high chance it's going in," captainNick Suzukisaid last week. "He's just playing the right way, doing the right things and he's getting rewarded for it."

The 25-year-old from Wisconsin is the seventh player in franchise history to score 50 goals. Guy LaFleur did it six times, Richer twice and Maurice Richard, Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion and Pierre Larouche once each.

Caufield is right there with Colorado'sNathan MacKinnonin the NHL goal-scoring race for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. His 86 points in his first 77 games were already 16 clear of his previous career high, and his play is helping Montreal cruise into the playoffs.

"We're focused on our team game and winning games, and I think individual stuff comes with that," Caufield said, echoing a refrain from coach Martin St Louis, a Hall of Fame player. "But doing the right things, you get more chances and opportunities."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.