MONTREAL — This was the response the Montreal Canadiens were looking for, coming off Tuesday’s embarrassing brush with history. They choked away a four-goal lead in the final 2:39 of the third period before losing 5-4 in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets that night and wore the stench of that embarrassment for 40-odd hours before having to face off against a dynamic Utah Mammoth team Thursday.

When adversity knocked early—a two-goal lead spotted to Utah on rushes gifted to Logan Cooley—the Canadiens didn’t cower; they stood up to it, firing back with two goals before the first period ended.

Then they went down 3-2 and made it 3-3. And then back down 4-3 before making it 4-4.

And after Cole Caufield won it in overtime—as only Caufield would, with a ripped shot over Sebastian Cossa’s shoulder—the Canadiens had confirmed what they already knew to be true about themselves.

“We have a lot of character,” said Arber Xhekaj, who was one of three players to notch their first goal of the season in this 5-4 win over the Mammoth.

He showed it, big time, ripping the NHL’s hardest shot recorded for a goal this season and then fighting Liam O’Brien off the next........

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