About Final Evening: Suzuki scores magnificence in 4-2 loss to Isles

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Nick Suzuki scored his twenty fifth aim of the season in spectacular vogue for the Montreal Canadiens in an in any other case less-than-spectacular 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders at UBS Area on Wednesday.

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The Habs might’ve performed spoiler and stored the Isles from clinching a playoff berth, however with the win, Lou Lamoriello’s membership claimed the ultimate wild card spot within the jap convention.

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When you’re in a rush, let’s reduce proper to the captain’s second-period shorthanded aim. He chased down the puck and beat Ilya Sorokin with a one-handed flick.

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Sam Montembeault stored his staff in it with a 31-save efficiency. Joel Teasdale was an emergency recall from Laval and he performed his first NHL recreation. He wore quantity 38. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Jesse Ylönen have been despatched down to assist the Rocket with their playoff push, in order that they didn’t play. Frédéric Allard was the opposite emergency call-up.

Some would say with all of the accidents, the Canadiens hardly ever seemed like themselves this season. Maybe the UBS Area graphic designers agree?

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The Isles led 2-1 after the primary interval. Frequent thorn in Montreal’s aspect Brock Nelson beat Montembeault with a floater off the frenzy.

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Habs then tied it up off a one-timer from Jake Evans to Rem Pitlick.

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With simply over a minute to play within the first, Hudson Fasching jumped on a free puck in entrance that got here off the crossbar and tucked it in to offer New York a 2-1 lead.

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Nelson beat Montembeault once more within the second interval to increase New York’s result in 3-1.

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Suzuki’s spotlight reel aim stored the sport to inside one heading into the third interval. The Isles outshot Montreal 18-6 in a lopsided interval all over the place however the scoreboard. The aim additionally solidified Suzuki’s place as some of the completed younger gamers to put on the bleu-blanc-rouge in fairly a while.

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The Islanders weren’t going to let a one-goal lead slip away with their playoff lives hanging within the stability, and positive sufficient Anders Lee helped them draw back with an influence play aim to seal it 4-2.

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So the Islanders are off to the postseason, whereas the Pittsburgh Penguins miss the playoffs for the primary time since 2006. Habs followers can chuckle a bit at what would possibly’ve been had the Pens held on to Mike Matheson as a substitute of buying and selling him for Jeff Petry.

No wanting again for the liveblog commenters, although: they’ve been wanting ahead to the offseason and the draft since puck drop final October. Only one extra recreation for the Habs to get by. The commenters are typically upbeat concerning the course of the membership, however have been modest when it got here to predicting subsequent 12 months’s level whole for injured first total decide Juraj Slafkovsky. Anyplace from 27-40, they’re guessing. The Habs will want him to take a giant leap ahead finally, however will that come subsequent season?

3. “How does the League have TWO Sebastian Ahos?” — Carin Latzel

2. “Another recreation to go earlier than we bid adieu to this unhappy season, lol.” — Chris C

1. “Montembeault is the principle motive we aren’t 30 or thirty first total, he has stolen us about 5 wins this 12 months.” — Ryan Katz