The Canadiens got the kind of update they were desperate to hear after Nick Suzuki briefly disappeared from the game in the third period against the Minnesota Wild. Montreal confirmed its captain was fine, and the scare didn’t last long.
Priyanta Emrith reported the team’s message on Suzuki’s status: "Canadiens say Nick Suzuki is alright. The captain left the game briefly in the 3rd period right before coming out to score the game-tying goal."
That sequence told the whole story. For a few tense moments, Suzuki’s absence had the building wondering what was wrong. Then he came right back and delivered the goal Montreal needed to get level.
It was a timely return for a team that has already had to manage life without its top center this season. Suzuki has appeared in just 12 of Montreal’s 18 games, so any hint of trouble naturally set off alarms.
His late-October recovery was already a notable checkpoint, with Suzuki back on the ice in full equipment at Brossard. Since then, he’s picked up right where he left off.
Against Minnesota, he pushed his totals to 7 goals and 16 points in 12 games, while also sitting at a plus-10 rating. He added three shots and logged 18:16 of ice time.
Montreal still came up short, dropping a 2-1 overtime decision. Jacob Fowler stopped 22 of 24 shots before Kirill Kaprizov finished it on the power play. Cole Caufield collected an assist, and Lane Hutson fired six shots on goal.
Even so, Suzuki was the difference-maker in the moment that mattered most. His tying goal gave the Canadiens a point they might not have gotten otherwise, and it underscored just how much he means to the lineup.
That’s the real reason the update landed so heavily. Losing Suzuki again would have left a major hole, especially with the way he anchors Montreal’s top six and drives its offense.
Now the Canadiens turn to Thursday’s game in Boston with their captain apparently ready to go.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Bigger Concern Ahead Of Bruins Trip
Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans were both absent from Canadiens practice Wednesday, with the team classifying the missed session as maintenance following the clubs most recent game. Montreal confirmed the two forwards were not on the ice but did not offer any further detail, leaving the group to sort through a little more uncertainty as it prepares for a trip to Boston.
Suzukis status is the more notable concern because he briefly left Tuesdays game before returning and scoring Montreals only goal, while Evans had already been managing discomfort since Monday. For a team heading into a divisional matchup with the Bruins, any question about the availability of two important centers is worth watching closely, especially with no immediate update on whether either will be ready to go. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Caufield Just Sparked A Bigger Canadiens Debate Than The Loss
Cole Caufield turned a frustrating night into a larger conversation for the Canadiens after Montreals overtime loss to Minnesota, shifting the focus from the result to how NHL games are being officiated. The forward took aim at the way referees handle controversial calls, adding another layer to a game that already left the Canadiens with plenty to sort through.
What made his comments resonate was the broader point behind them: Caufield wants more accountability from officials and believes they should be able to explain what they saw instead of simply signaling a penalty and moving on. For a Canadiens team still chasing consistency, it is the kind of postgame critique that can linger well beyond one loss, especially when it taps into a league-wide debate about transparency on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Carey Prices Canadiens Comment Says Everything About His Loyalty
Carey Price was asked a simple what-if about the current Canadiens offense, and he handled it exactly the way Montreal fans have come to expect. Rather than turn it into a comparison with the teams he played behind, Price stayed respectful, praised the clubs attack and made it clear he wasnt interested in taking shots at the past.
The former goaltender did acknowledge that the teams he knew were built in a much more defensive mold, which only sharpened the contrast with todays group. Coming off a loss to the Minnesota Wild and heading into a meeting with the Bruins, the Canadiens are still trying to steady themselves, but Prices comments fit the mood around the room: this is a team that believes it has a real chance, and one that still has plenty of people in its corner. [Read more 🡒]