Vancouver Canucks at Montreal Canadiens

Nick Suzuki scores in OT to give Canadiens 5-4 win over Canucks

Lane Hutson also had a goal and two assists, Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist, and Kaiden Guhle and Kirby Dach also scored for Montreal. Sam Montembeault stopped 16 shots to help the Canadiens win for the fifth time in six games and eighth in their last 10.

J.T. Miller had two goals and two assists, and Jake DeBrusk and Jonathan Lekkerimaki also scored for Vancouver, which has lost seven of its last nine. Kevin Lankinen made 19 saves.

Captain Quinn Hughes, last year’s Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, had two assists in his return from a four-game absence for the injury-plagued Canucks. He played in his 400th career game.

Takeaways Canadiens: Miller and Lekkerimaki scored 20 seconds apart early in the second period to give Vancouver a two-goal lead. However, Montreal fought back with three straight goals.

Canucks: Lekkerimaki stepped up with his first career multi-point game the same day he was recalled from the AHL to replace injured forward Dakota Joshua. The 20-year-old Swede has two goals and one assist in six NHL games, all this season.

Key moment Dach and Hutson scored in the first seven minutes of the third period to give Montreal a 4-3 lead. Then 12 seconds after Caufield took a penalty, Miller set up DeBrusk on the power play for his 17th to tie the score at 8:51.

Key stat Hutson, a Calder Trophy candidate as NHL rookie of the year, became the fastest defenseman in Canadiens history to hit 30 points, reaching the milestone in 42 games. Chris Chelios held the previous record of 45.

Up Next Canucks visit Washington on Wednesday, and Canadiens play at Washington on Friday.

MTL leads series 1-0