Suzuki scores in OT as Canadiens rally to beat Panthers 3-2

By Canadian Press on December 30, 2025.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Nick Suzuki got a power-play goal 3:24 into overtime, and the Montreal Canadiens rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation to stun the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Suzuki also scored late in regulation to tie the game for the Canadiens, who improved to 6-1-3 in their last 10 games. Cole Caufield also scored for Montreal.

Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, but Marchand was called for roughing 1:27 into overtime — giving Montreal a 4-on-3 advantage.

The Panthers paid tribute to Marchand’s 1,000th career point in a pregame ceremony. Marchand got the milestone point in mid-November, but chose this game — against Montreal, one of his longtime rivals when he was with Boston and a team coached by one of his idols, Martin St. Louis — for the formal celebration.

The game was scoreless after two periods, just the 11th such game in the NHL this season and the first for both the Panthers and the Canadiens. And it was the first time a Florida-Montreal matchup saw no goals in the first 40 minutes of action since Feb. 14, 2013 — a contest that ended up as a 1-0 road win for the Canadiens.

But the final 10 minutes were wild.

Marchand opened the scoring at 10:18 and Reinhart connected with 4:59 left to put Florida up 2-0. Back came Montreal, with Caufield scoring 32 seconds after Reinhart’s goal and then Suzuki tying it up with 1:22 remaining.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, DEVILS 0

TORONTO (AP) — Joseph Woll made 33 saves for his first shutout of the season and Bobby McMann, Nicolas Roy, Calle Jarnkrok and Matthew Knies scored as Toronto beat New Jersey.

Playing their third game in four nights since the Christmas break, the Maple Leafs were without William Nylander (lower-body injury) for a second straight game, Auston Matthews (lower body), Chris Tanev (lower body) and Dakota Joshua, who remained in Detroit after sustaining a kidney injury against the Red Wings on Sunday.

McMann scored on the power play late in the first period, and Roy added a redirect goal just as another man-advantage situation expired. McMann tipped the puck to Roy. Nicholas Robertson helped set up both goals. McMann has four goals in his last six games.

Jarnkrok scored in the third period for his first goal since Nov. 1. Knies added an empty-netter.

Woll led the Maple Leafs to their third win in four games with his first shutout since Nov. 20, 2024, despit being outshot 33-30.

PENGUINS 5, HURRICANES 1

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Anthony Mantha scored twice and Pittsburgh beat Carolina.

Mantha, who scored in his third straight game, had a power-play goal in the first period and added another goal in the second as Pittsburgh jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Justin Brazeau set a career high with his 12th goal and added an assist. Tommy Novak had a goal and an assist, and Sidney Crosby scored his 21st of the season.

Erik Karlsson had two assists and passed Brad Park for the 14th-most points by a defenseman in NHL history. Bryan Rust also added two assists for the Penguins, who have won three of four following an eight-game losing streak.

Stuart Skinner made 27 saves and improved to 1-3 with the Penguins since they acquired him Dec. 12 from Edmonton in a trade that sent goalie Tristan Jarry to the Oilers.

Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes, who have lost four of six.

Frederik Andersen stopped 23 shots for Carolina. He is 0-6-2 in his last eight starts and hasn’t won since Nov. 6 against Minnesota.

ISLANDERS 3, BLACKHAWKS 2, SO

CHICAGO (AP) — Bo Horvat scored in regulation and the shootout, helping New York beat Chicago.

Horvat had the only successful attempt in the tiebreaker, beating Spencer Knight on the goaltender’s stick side.

Calum Ritchie also scored for New York in regulation. David Rittich made 17 saves before denying Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Donato in the shootout.

The Islanders won for the third time in four games.

Teravainen and Nick Lardis scored for Chicago, and Knight stopped 19 shots through overtime. The Blackhawks dropped to 3-9-2 in their last 14 games.

Chicago had a chance to win in regulation, but Nick Foligno shot the puck off a post on a prime scoring opportunity in the final seconds. New York came up empty on a power play in overtime.

The Associated Press