This edition of the Hidden Game is dedicated to the firm of Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky.
If the Canadiens are to make the playoffs this season, the top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky will have to drive the bus.
Each player contributed a goal Tuesday night as Montreal ended its two-game losing skid with a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place. Slafkovsky added two assists, while captain Suzuki and Caufield each contributed an assist. Caufield now has a team-leading 32 goals.
Defenceman Mike Matheson added an empty-net goal with 16.8 seconds remaining.
It was Montreal’s first win at Vancouver since 2021 and came at an opportune time, pulling the Canadiens to within two points of Columbus for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.
News you need (Part I): Since the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, Suzuki has five goals and 10 assists in eight games. Caufield has six goals and nine points, while Slafkovsky has four goals and eight points.
News you need (Part II): The Canucks are the only NHL team without a third-period comeback. Vancouver’s record is 0-19-4 when trailing after 40 minutes.
News you need (Part III): Vancouver has now been held to three goals or fewer in 15 straight games and in all but one of its last 25 contests. The Canucks have scored a total of 34 goals over that span.
News you need (Part IV): The Canucks have three Petterssons on their roster. Making it more confusing for announcers, two have the first name of Elias. The third is Marcus. Two are defencemen.
News you need (Part V): The Canucks’ home record is 13-12-7. That’s the third-fewest home victories among NHL teams.
Strange, but true: Vancouver left-winger Jake DeBrusk, an Edmonton native, is the only Canadian-born player currently in the Canucks’ lineup. We’re guessing Don Cherry would not approve.
What a difference a year makes (Part I): The Canadiens won a total of 30 games last season. Tuesday’s victory improved their record to 31-27-6, with 18 games remaining.
What a difference a year makes (Part II): Last season, the Canadiens went 6-4-3 in the first half of back-to-back games but struggled in the second match, with one win and an overtime loss in 13 games. This season, they’re now 8-4-1 and will try to build on their 7-5-1 mark Wednesday night, at Seattle.
The optics don’t look good: Although Patrik Laine skated on his own Tuesday morning, the Canadiens winger missed his second consecutive game with the flu. Conversely, the Canucks’ Drew O’Connor and forward Elias Pettersson, both of whom also are battling the flu, departed the Tuesday morning skate early — but both played.
Go figure: The Canadiens had been outscored 38-20 on the road in the first period this season. They cut into that total slightly against Vancouver, taking a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
How not to play goalie: Kevin Lankinen looked lost on Slafkovsky’s goal at 8:34 of the opening period. Not only was Lankinen beaten to the glove side, he clearly lost his crease and was out of position. He was beaten twice on the first five shots he faced.
How to play goalie: Samuel Montembeault made a pair of nice pad saves against Dakota Joshua in the first period.
Where potential goals go to die: In the game’s seventh minute, Josh Anderson fed Christian Dvorak, who lost the puck in front of the net. Dvorak, an unrestricted free agent this summer, will likely be on another team next season, depriving us of the opportunity to use that line repeatedly. It never gets old — just like all the chances Dvorak squanders.
Eight is enough: Emil Heineman, held without a point in eight games since returning from a wrist injury — he lost a one-on-one battle with a car in Salt Lake City — was denied from scoring early in the second period.
Dumb penalty (Part I): Marcus Pettersson for slashing in the offensive zone early in the period.
Dumb penalty (Part II): Slafkovsky interfered with Kiefer Sherwood with 33 seconds remaining on the power play.
Pass of the night: Suzuki to Caufield, providing Montreal with a 3-0 lead.
A three-goal lead is the most dangerous in hockey: The Canucks scored on their first shot of the third period. Things became interesting when Elias Pettersson reduced the deficit to a goal by scoring on the power play at 11:08.
It’s about time: That was Pettersson’s second goal in 18 games. That’s not good.
Anything goes: Jake Evans got away with a blatant trip in the third period. Then, as time was winding down, Elias Pettersson cross-checked Caufield in front of the Vancouver net.
Play Pezzetta: Michael Pezzetta, dressed for a second consecutive game thanks to Laine, was on the ice for only 7:48 but nonetheless played his usual physical game, delivering six hits.
Quick stats: Slafkovsky, Matheson and Alex Newhook each had four shots. Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky each were plus-3. Heineman and Newhook each registered four hits. Defenceman Alexandre Carrier blocked five shots. The Canadiens won only 46 per cent of their faceoffs, but outhit the Canucks 31-23. Montembeault’s save percentage was .935.
They said it: “I thought we were using each other really well,” Suzuki told the media in Vancouver about his linemates. “We’ve been jelling a lot better. All of us are bringing our A-game. We’re just trying to help the team as much as we can. Some nights we’re going to have nights like this. It was a good night overall. It was nice to get the win.”
“I thought we fought as a group and didn’t panic,” Caufield told reporters in Vancouver. “I thought we stayed calm and collected. A good team effort tonight. I thought we were resilient tonight.”
“We were playing physical and were all over the other team,” Slafkovsky said in Vancouver.
“As a top line you go into every game wanting to be the difference, knowing that it’s probably not going to happen every night,” head coach Martin St. Louis told the media scrum in Vancouver. “You have to be hungry. Those guys are hungry. They play against tough match-ups, and they’re delivering. I think they want that challenge. Any top guys want that challenge. They rose tonight.”