MONTREAL — This was a bad game from start to finish for the Montreal Canadiens, but to suggest it ended the way it should’ve — with the Winnipeg Jets making NHL history to avoid a 10th straight loss — would be bending the truth.

For the Canadiens had a 4-0 lead with 2:40 to play, and when Cole Caufield, who scored two of their goals, said it should’ve ended well before they lost in overtime, he was right.

No matter how poorly his team played, it was in the best position it could possibly be in with the clock ticking down, and then it inexcusably crumbled.

Four Jets goals in 2:39, and one more from Dylan Samberg with 1:30 to go in overtime, sealed the Canadiens’ fate.

Afterwards, Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said, “We got smacked in the teeth and maybe that’s what we needed as a team,” and he was also probably right.

If you look at all five games the Canadiens won in succession without Nick Suzuki before this one, a couple of them — including the one at the Heritage Classic in Winnipeg — were hand-delivered by Jacob Fowler.

Having one more gifted to them by the rookie goaltender, who stopped the first 36 Jets shots he faced........

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