NHL: Florida Panthers at Montreal Canadiens - Source: Imagn

3 most impressive Montreal Canadiens players from 3-2 OT win over Florida Panthers feat. Nick Suzuki

Modified Apr 02, 2025 04:07 GMT

It's appearing more and more as if the Montreal Canadiens are destined to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since their miracle run to the Final in the abbreviated 2020-21 NHL season.

They picked up a massive pair of points with what was nothing short of a thrilling victory in front of a sold-out crowd at Bell Centre over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, their second win over them in three days.

Captain Nick Suzuki put on the Superman cape with a clutch performance, scoring the game-tying goal with mere seconds left in regulation and then capping that with the overtime game-winner.

Both teams traded goals in the opening 20 minutes of play, as Josh Anderson and Niko Mikkola tallied. The Panthers took the lead thanks to a late second-period goal from Mackie Samoskevich, and it appeared as though Florida was on their way to a win.

Enter the Suzuki show:

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Florida's Vitek Vanecek made 18 saves as part of the loss, while ex-Panthers goalie Sam Montembeault made 25 saves for Montreal.

3 most impressive Montreal Canadiens players from 3-2 OT win over Florida Panthers

#1. Nick Suzuki

Talk about captain clutch.

Suzuki has emerged as not only one of Montreal's best players in terms of statistical output but also in terms of sheer leadership. It was because of his amazing performance on Tuesday night that it's looking more and more as if the Habs are on their way to the postseason.

His game-tying goal was his 24th of the season, and he followed that up with a quick game-winner in overtime for his 25th goal.

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Overall, he skated in 23:30 of ice time in the win.

#2. Sam Montembeault

Acquired from the Panthers essentially off the scrap heap, Montembeault has begun to transform his career as a member of the Habs.

His 25 saves on Tuesday against his former club helped push his current teammates one step closer to the playoffs; he finished the game with a .926 save percentage and made several key saves.

Among his stops on the night were four each on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and three on defenseman Seth Jones.

#3. Lane Hutson

The rookie Canadiens defenseman continues to make a case why he'll be in the mix for the Calder Memorial Trophy at the end of the season.

He assisted on all three of Montreal's goals while leading the team in total ice time with 26:12; he increased his assist total to a whopping 57 on the season.

He also finished with a +3 rating while also blocking a Panthers shot.

The Montreal Canadiens will look to keep their winning momentum going when they host the Boston Bruins next on Thursday.

About the author

Michael Whitaker is a sports journalist based in metro Detroit with nearly a full decade of experience with publications like Detroit Sports Nation, Hockey Feed, Clutch Points and Bally Sports Detroit. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Eastern Michigan University.

Michael grew up playing ice hockey and now plays casually, and he supports his childhood team, the Detroit Red Wings. His favorite sporting moment was the Red Wings giving an injured Vladimir Konstantinov the Stanley Cup in his wheelchair following the 1998 win, on his birthday of June 16.

Michael has conducted exclusive interviews with former Detroit Red Wings trainer John Wharton, as well as four-time Stanley Cup champion Kirk Maltby.

In his spare time, Michael enjoys concerts, sporting events, visiting the gym, and playing with his 8-year-old labradoodle Gordie.

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