Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki played the hero against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday at the Bell Centre, while defenseman Lane Hutson made history. Suzuki scored the game-tying goal with seconds left on the clock, adding the game-winning goal in overtime as the Habs beat the visiting Stanley Cup champions 3-2 to sweep their home-and-home and season series on April Fools’ Day.
Seriously.
Game Recap
Suzuki’s heroics don’t happen were it not for Hutson’s, the same day he was named rookie of the month for March, no less (the second such time he’s won the award). With the Canadiens down 2-1 and having to take a face-off in their own zone with 30 seconds left following an icing call, Hutson took the puck up the ice. Pressured at the blue line by Panthers defenseman Seth Jones, he threw a Hail Mary on net.
Panthers forward Sam Reinhart tried to stop it only to deflect it right to Suzuki. The Canadiens captain deposited it into the empty cage, to set a new career high in points with 78 and beat a helpless Vitek Vanecek, who made 18 saves in the game. His counterpart, Sam Montembeault, made 25 saves.
Related: Projected Lineups for Panthers vs Canadiens – 4/1/25
Hutson had also assisted on Josh Anderson’s game-opening goal in the first period. That secondary helper tied him with Chris Chelios for the franchise mark for the most assists by a rookie defenseman in a season with 55 (1984-85). His assist on Suzuki’s game-tying goal gave him lone possession of the team record, while the one he added on Suzuki’s game-winning goal in overtime brought him to within three of Larry Murphy for the all-time mark of 60, which the then-Los Angeles Kings defenseman set in 1980-81.
Hutson got another secondary assist on the play in question, Cole Caufield feeding Suzuki for the primary helper. Suzuki wrapped it around Vanecek for the 3-2 goal (and his 79th point) to give the Canadiens an unlikely two points, as the wild-card Habs kept pace with the ninth-place Columbus Blue Jackets who also won on Tuesday. The Canadiens, who own the tiebreaker, currently find themselves two points up on the Blue Jackets with one more game played.
Mackie Samoskevich and Niko Mikkola, who made headlines for firing a needless slapshot in the direction of Canadiens defenseman David Savard in the dying seconds of the two teams’ last game over the weekend, scored for the Panthers, both on deflections off Canadiens players. The 44-26-4 Panthers next visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. The 35-30-9 Canadiens next host the rival Boston Bruins on Thursday.
