In a dramatic sequel to a recent heartbreaker, the Montreal Canadiens authored a triumphant ending. Captain Nick Suzuki scored the tying and winning goals, leading his team to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
Sequel Surpasses the Original
Just two nights after squandering a three-goal lead in Tampa Bay, the Canadiens found themselves in another deep hole. Trailing 2-0 in the third period against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the script seemed familiar. This time, however, Montreal rewrote the ending. Cole Caufield ignited the rally with his team-leading 19th goal of the season just 32 seconds after Florida's second marker.
With goaltender Samuel Montembeault holding the fort, Suzuki completed the comeback. He buried a feed from Ivan Demidov with just 1:22 remaining in regulation to force overtime. On a power play in the extra frame, after hitting the post and the crossbar, Suzuki finally solved Panthers goalie Daniil Tarasov at 3:24 for the game-winner, assisted by Lane Hutson.
Montembeault's Stellar Return in Net
The other headline from Sunrise was the performance of goaltender Samuel Montembeault. Making his first NHL start since December 2 and first appearance for Montreal since December 9, the veteran was stellar. He stopped 28 of 30 shots for a .933 save percentage, shutting out the potent Panthers attack for over 50 minutes after the second goal.
This marked Montembeault's first victory since November 28 against Vegas, providing a massive confidence boost and complicating the team's goaltending decision for their next game on Thursday at Carolina.
Notable Stats and Moments
The victory extended Montreal's remarkable dominance over Florida, now having won six consecutive games against the Panthers. The Canadiens' impressive road record improved to 11-3-5, earning points in 16 of 19 games away from home.
The game also featured a milestone for rugged defender Arber Xhekaj, who played in his 200th career NHL game. Florida's pregame ceremony honoured Brad Marchand for reaching 1,000 career points, though the night ended sourly for him as his overtime penalty led to Suzuki's winner.
Noah Dobson and Alexandre Texier—playing on the top line with Suzuki and Caufield—were instrumental early, combining for five of Montreal's seven first-period shots. Suzuki finished with a team-high seven shots on goal.
Quotes from the Room
"It has kind of been something we've done over the last few years," Suzuki told reporters post-game. "We don't want to put ourselves in that position all the time, but we have the pieces to do it."
Cole Caufield emphasized the team's resilience: "I thought we played a pretty solid game... I think the resolution for the new year should be get the lead. It's good going forward to look back on those moments and remember that you're always in it."
Head coach Martin St. Louis praised his captain's performance: "I thought he was excellent tonight. I thought that line played really well. They played a mature game."
The Canadiens' next test comes quickly, as they travel to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, January 1, 2026, riding the momentum of a character-building win.
