Montreal Canadiens defeat Utah Mammoth 5-4 in overtime as Nick Suzuki returns
Nick Suzuki's return helped the Canadiens overcome Utah 5-4 in overtime, with Cole Caufield scoring the winner.
Montreal regained momentum on Thursday night when captain Nick Suzuki returned to the lineup, contributing three points in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Utah Mammoth. Suzuki opened the scoring with a goal set up by Juraj Slafkovsky, sparking a shift in the Canadiens' play that saw them dominate the first period. Arber Xhekaj added a shot that forced a defensive battle, while the team posted a 67% Corsi share for the opening line.
The Canadiens held Utah to 16 shots in the third period, despite the Mammoth’s reputation as a top-five Corsi team. Kirby Dach scored his first goal of the season on the power play after Cole Caufield took a penalty, and Adam Engstrom recorded his first NHL goal later in the period.
In overtime, Suzuki passed the puck to defenseman Lane Hutson, who fed Cole Caufield for a decisive goal into the top corner, giving Montreal the win.
The victory follows a recent stretch of defensive lapses for Montreal, and the team’s power play, ranked 30th in the league, remains a focus for improvement.