Canadiens’ hot stretch continues in OT win vs. Canucks

Nick Suzuki’s power-play goal 48 seconds into overtime gave the Montreal Canadiens a 5-4 win over the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Monday.

Suzuki collected two assists during regulation and buried a shot from the slot for his fourth career overtime winner. The Canucks challenged the goal but Suzuki’s tally stood after a video review.

Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists and Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist. Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle also scored for the the Habs, who are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games.

Sam Montembeault stopped 16 of 20 shots to earn his 15th win of the season.

J.T. Miller had two goals and two assists for the struggling Canucks, who dropped to 4-5-5 in their last 14 games.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki had a goal and an assist, Jake DeBrusk scored a power-play goal and Kevin Lankinen stopped 19 of 24 shots.

Quinn Hughes had two assists in his return to the ice after missing Vancouver’s previous four games.

Caufield needed just 67 seconds after the opening faceoff to extend his scoring streak to four games. The Canucks responded 10:47 into the first period on Miller’s one-timer from the upper slot.

Vancouver jumped ahead on two goals within a 20-second span, beginning with Miller’s rebound tally at 3:21 of the second period. Lekkerimaki quickly followed up with the next score, as the rookie forward took the shot himself on a two-on-one rush with Tyler Myers.

After that tough start to the second period, Montreal responded at the 10:35 mark when Guhle’s point shot beat a screened Lankinen.

Dach got the equalizer 2:01 into the third period, depositing a rebound during a power play. Hutson then caught a break in scoring the go-ahead goal at the 6:54 mark as his shot toward the front of the net deflected off Hughes’ skate and past Lankinen.

The Canucks leveled the score again on DeBrusk’s power-play marker 8:51 into the third. Miller collected his second assist by setting up DeBrusk with an outstanding pass.