Montreal Canadiens Rally Late, Beat Florida Panthers Once Again

When Mackie Samoskevich scored late in the second period Tuesday, the Florida Panthers took their first lead against the Montreal Canadiens this season.

Yes, this season.

It did not hold.

Nick Suzuki tied it with 8.4 seconds left in regulation, then scored 29 seconds into overtime to lead the Canadiens to a 3-2 win on Tuesday night.

The Panthers have lost five straight to the Canadiens dating to 2024.

Florida lost in Montreal late last season, and dropped all four to the Canadiens in this one including Sunday afternoon in Sunrise.

The Panthers are two points back of the Maple Leafs for the Atlantic Division lead and play in Toronto on Wednesday night.

The Panthers played shorthanded for some of the game: Nico Sturm left in the first period and did not return; captain Sasha Barkov went off in the second but was back early in the third.

Montreal took the initial lead Tuesday, scoring on a Josh Anderson redirect in the first.

Niko Mikkola tied it with a shot that went off the stick of Montreal defender Josh Evans, with Samoskevich making it 2-1 on a power-play goal with 1:13 left in the second.

Vitek Vanecek made 18 saves; Sam Montembeault, who gave up two to the Panthers on Sunday, stopped 25 shots.

NOTES: PANTHERS @ CANADIENS

• The Panthers lost Sturm to injury midway through the first when he and A.J. Greer collided at center ice. Sturm hit the ice face-first, and was slow to get up before skating to the room.
• The Panthers could have clinched a playoff berth on Tuesday by winning in regulation combined with a Nashville regulation victory in Columbus. The Blue Jackets ran away with that one, and Suzuki happened in Montreal.
• Lane Hutson had three assists and passed Chris Chelios (1984-85) with 57 for the highest single-season assist total by a rookie defenseman in franchise history. The most assists by a rookie defenseman in NHL history is 60 set by Larry Murphy in 1980-81.
• Hutson had three assists for the second straight game against the Panthers; Suzuki scored a goal with two assists on Sunday.
• The Panthers drop to 9-4 in overtime and 30-4-1 when leading after two periods.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Canadiens 1, Panthers 0 (4:43 1st): Josh Anderson posts up Uvis Balinskis in front of the net and deflects a Kaiden Guhle shot and beats Vitek Vanecek.
• Panthers 1, Canadiens 1 (10:37 1st): The Panthers get a deflection to go their way, Niko Mikkola’s sharp shot from the boards going off Jake Evans and trickled past Sam Montembeault.
• Panthers 2, Canadiens 1 (18:47 2nd PP): Mackie Samoskevich rips one from the top of the right circle that goes over Montembeault’s stick.
• Canadiens 2, Panthers 2 (19:51 3rd): Nick Suzuki camps on the right post and finds a Lane Hutson shot from the point that gets past Sam Reinhart and Vanecek.
• Canadiens 3, Panthers 2 (0:29 OT): Suzuki does it again, this time driving to the net and scoring in OT.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Nick Suzuki, Montreal
• 2. Lane Hutson, Montreal
• 3. Sam Montembeault, Montreal

ON DECK: GAME No. 75

FLORIDA PANTHERS at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 

• When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season (Panthers Lead 2-0) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Leafs 1 (Nov.27); April 8. At Toronto: Panthers 3, Maple Leafs 2 (March 14); Wednesday.
• Last Season: Tied 2-2
• All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 50-39-7, 7 ties
• All-time Postseason: Panthers d. Maple Leafs 4-1 (2023 ECS)
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday at Ottawa Senators, 2 p.m.