Nick Suzuki had two goals and an assist for the Montreal Canadiens in a 5–0 win against the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night, Feb. 13.
Suzuki has six goals in the past four games and extended his point streak to eight games (seven goals, seven assists).
Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and two assists, Brandon Gignac scored his first NHL goal, and Jake Evans also scored for the Canadiens, who ended a two-game losing streak with their first shutout of the season.
Cayden Primeau needed to make just 13 saves to record his first NHL shutout in his 28th start over the past five seasons with Montreal.
Lukas Dostal made 33 saves for the Ducks in the opener of their four-game road trip.
Evans gave Montreal a 1–0 lead at 1:43 of the second period.
He carried the puck into the Anaheim zone on a 2-on-1 rush, passed it to Tanner Pearson, who passed it back to Evans, and he scored with a backhand as he skated by the net.
Suzuki scored for the fourth straight game when he redirected a feed from Slafkovsky to make it 2–0 at 9:37 of the second.
The 19-year-old Slafkovsky extended his point streak to six games (five goals, four assists), tying Doug Wickenheiser (1980–81) for the longest point streak by a teenager in Canadiens team history.
The Ducks were penalized for delay of game when rookie defenseman Jackson LaCombe inadvertently sent the puck over the glass, and the Canadiens capitalized on the ensuing power play when Suzuki scored on a one-timer from the left circle off the pass from Slafkovsky to extend the lead to 3–0 at 17:00.
Montreal outshot the Ducks 29–9 through two periods.
Montreal went on their fourth power play and scored for the second time when Slafkovsky hit the net with a one-timer for a 4–0 lead at 7:26 of the third.
Gignac scored off the rush with 2:45 left for a 5–0 lead.
Anaheim rookie defenseman Pavel Mintyukov returned after missing 11 games with a separated shoulder, and forward Mason McTavish returned after missing one game with an upper-body injury.
Montreal Canadians center Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates his first goal of the game against the Anaheim Ducks with his teammates during the second period at Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, on Feb. 13, 2024. (David Kirouac/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media)
