Apr 5, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens ahead Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates with teammates after scoring a aim in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers throughout the third interval on the Bell Centre. Necessary Credit score: Eric Bolte-Imagn Pictures The Montreal Canadiens will proceed their push for a playoff spot once they go to the struggling Nashville Predators on Sunday.
The Canadiens (37-30-9, 83 factors) arrive in Music Metropolis driving a four-game successful streak that was prolonged with a 3-2 residence victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
Montreal trailed 1-0 going into the third interval however tallied three consecutive targets to earn the victory.
“What we stated was keep affected person,” ahead Brendan Gallagher stated. “We knew we had it on this room. We are able to rating targets. Simply keep affected person, keep on with our sport plan.”
The Canadiens are holding the Japanese Convention’s second wild-card spot, and boasting a four-point lead on the New York Rangers within the race. Each golf equipment have six video games remaining within the common season.
The successful streak has seen captain Nick Suzuki take his sport to a different stage. Suzuki netted the game-winning aim and an help, growing each his goal-scoring and point-scoring streaks to 4 video games during which he has netted 5 targets and 9 factors.
“He is nonetheless younger and he is taking part in with two younger gamers,” coach Martin St. Louis stated, referring to Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky. “As all of them mature collectively, grow old, it is solely going to get higher. What’s his ceiling? I do not know, however I do not wish to take into consideration his ceiling as a result of I would like him to dictate what that ceiling goes to be.”
The Predators return residence after struggling a 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday, which runs their newest shedding skid to 5 video games.
Nashville (27-41-8, 62 factors) has lengthy been eradicated from playoff rivalry and had little or no pushback to complete the season on a powerful be aware and even play spoiler.
The Predators had an all-too-familiar efficiency on this disappointing marketing campaign once they confronted off in opposition to the Dallas Stars.
“They seem to be a actually good offensive rush group, and we did not give them a lot within the first (interval),” ahead Steven Stamkos stated of the most recent loss. “After which sort of midway by the sport you would inform we have been beginning to flip some pucks over and feed their rush. It simply felt prefer it was a matter of time earlier than it sort of burned us, and it did.”
Nashville coach Andrew Brunette was not at Saturday’s observe resulting from a private matter, and there was no phrase whether or not he can be again with the group in time for the sport.
The sport might mark the NHL debut of 2023 first-round draft choose Matthew Wooden, the 6-foot-5 ahead who signed an entry-level contract up to now week after ending his season on the College of Minnesota.
“I’ve grown in numerous methods,” stated Wooden, who was selected fifteenth general. “I’ve gotten so much stronger skating-wise, gotten quicker and extra cellular. … One in every of my strengths is that I really like studying, and I am at all times going to attempt to proceed to be taught. It is a enormous studying alternative for me.”
-Discipline Degree Media
