Suzuki Scores Historic 100th Point as Canadiens Eliminate Islanders – Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki scored his 100th and 101st points of the season, as the Habs defeated the host New York Islanders 4-1 on Sunday. With the loss, the Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Meanwhile Suzuki, who opened the scoring in the second and assisted Ivan Demidov’s game-winning goal soon after, became the fifth Hab to score a century and the first since Mats Naslund in 1985-86. Suzuki tapped Juraj Slafkovsky’s pass into the crowd to beat goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin for a historic point.
In the game, Cole Caufield was hit by rookie-player Matthew Schaefer, resulting in a two-minute penalty (if Suzuki’s marker defied the first of the two minors). Twenty-eight seconds into the game later, Suzuki found Ivan Demidov on the edge of Sorokin’s crease for the rookie’s 19th goal of the season.
Canadiens Miss Record
Just 27 seconds later, Alex Newhook scored on a rare rush to put the Canadiens up 3-0 and the game out of reach. Casey Cizikas deflected a layup midway through the third, but Zachary Bolduc got that one back late to seal the end for the Islanders. Notably, the fastest three goals in Canadiens history came on Feb. 27, 1955, in a 7-1 victory over the New York Rangers, Dickie Moore, Jack LeClair and Emile Bouchard scored 31 seconds into each other.
In Newhook’s goal, rookie defenseman David Reinbacher, who was recently called up to the American Hockey League in response to an injury to Noah Dobson, got his first career point, with a second assist. Meanwhile defenseman Lane Hutson had second assists on goals from Suzuki and Demidov, bringing his season total to 66, tying Larry Robinson’s 1976-77 team record for most assists by a defenseman in a single season.
Related: Canadiens’ Lane Hutson Is Changing How NHL Defensemen Learn The Game
Hutson gets a chance to set a new franchise record on Tuesday, when the Canadiens visit the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently hold the third playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. Only the Washington Capitals (93 points) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (92) are still alive in the chase for the final spot. They each have 81 games played to the Flyers’ (94) 80, however. Before facing the Habs on Tuesday, the Flyers host the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. The Islanders close out their season on Tuesday at home against the Canes.
The Canadiens still have a lot to play for in Game 82
All this comes after Canadiens forward Cole Caufield scored his 50th goal of the season last Thursday, becoming the first player in 36 years to do so (Stephane Richer). Caufield hit 51 on Saturday against the Blue Jackets, surpassing the 50 marks of Maurice Richard (1944-45) and Bernie Geoffrion (1960-61) and tied Richer’s 51 in 1989-90. Only Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt have scored more points in a single season than Caufield (and Richer) at this point, with one game to play for first.
With the win, the Canadiens tied the Buffalo Sabers for the lead in the Atlantic Division with 106 points. They still have two games left though (at the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday and at home against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday). In order for the Habs to win the division title, they need to finish at least one more point in the standings, as the Sabers held the tie-breaker, with a 41-rule win to the Canadiens’ 34.
