After a four game absence, Canucks captain and top D-man Quinn Hughes returned to action on Monday night in Montreal. He was dynamic as usual, picking up two assists while playing a whopping 26:15.
It wasn’t enough, the Canadiens won the game 5-4 in overtime on a power play goal by Nick Suzuki at the :48-second mark.
Under pressure and without a stick, Canucks forward Nils Höglander went off for interference with :36-seconds remaining in regulation. The Habs needed the extra session to find the game winner.
A tough break for Hughes came when a centering pass from Habs D-man Lane Hutson went into the net off his boot behind goalie Kevin Lankinen to give Montreal a 4-3 lead in the 3rd period.
J.T. Miller, with his second assist and fourth point of the night, helped the Canucks tie it 4-4 with the primary helper on Jake DeBrusk’s power play goal just two minutes later.
Miller scored the first two goals of the game for Vancouver after Cole Caufield opened the scoring for Montreal. Forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki, called up due to the injury to Dakota Joshua, also scored for the Canucks. His goal at 3:41 of the 2nd period gave Vancouver a 3-1 lead.
The Habs eventually stormed back in a particularly physical, but clean affair.
Both teams finished 1-for-3 on the power play through regulation, with the Canadiens’ fourth opportunity carrying over.
Hutson, named first start in the Bell Centre, finished with three points. Miller was third star.
