Suzuki, Slafkowski lead Canadiens to 5-0 win over Ducks

Nick Suzuki had two goals and an assist as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-0 at the Bell Center on Tuesday night.

The red-hot Suzuki extended his point streak to a career-high eight games, scoring 13 points in the stretch and reaching 51 points in 53 games this season.

Cayden Primeau saw little action, making 13 saves in his first start since Jan. 20 as Montreal (22-23-8) picked up its first shutout of the season.

Juraj Slafkowski, who was in contact with Suzuki all night, had a goal and two assists for his first career three-point game. Jake Evans and Brandon Gignac – his first NHL goal – also scored for the Canadiens.

Lucas Dostal stopped 33 shots for Anaheim (18-32-2), which was shutout for the sixth time this season.

After Montreal dominated shots 12-6 in a scoreless first period, the home team turned it up a notch in the second period.

Evans went for a third-and-1 of the season, 25, on a deadlock with 1:43 left in the period, beating Dostal after a pass-and-go with Tanner Pearson.

Suzuki doubled the lead at 9:37 to extend the streak. Slafkovsky patiently dodged past Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov before taking a clean pass from Suzuki on the break.

The two forwards later connected again late in the period, this time on the power play, with Suzuki hitting a cross-ice puck into an open net from Suzuki to make it 3-0 with three minutes left in the period.

In complete control, the Canadians led the shots 29-9 after 40 minutes.

Montreal added another power play marker at 7:26 of the third. This time, Suzuki fed Slafkowski in his 11th campaign.

Gignac, 26, scored his first goal at the 2:00 mark to make it 5-0 as Montreal won the game easily, but there will be no anger when players from both teams drop their gloves in the final. minute.

Gule avoids injury

The Canadiens avoided bad injury news as defenseman Kayden Goulet dressed Tuesday night and sat out Sunday's loss to the St. Louis Blues with less than two minutes remaining after a Marco Scandella hit.

Goulet has four goals and five assists in 49 games this season. In his second NHL season, the 22-year-old averaged 20:58 of ice time – second among Montreal blueliners.

Defenseman Arber Hekay is back in the Canadiens lineup for Jordan Harris, who is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury against the Blues.

Next

Canadiens: Visit the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Ducks: Continue a three-game sweep of Canada East on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 13, 2023.