Canadiens Defeat Canucks 4-2, Push for Playoff Race
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By Milica Zivic
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Summary:
- Slafkovský registered a goal and two assists on Tuesday, pushing the Canadiens to a 4-2 win over Canucks.
- Suzuki, Caufield and Matheson also scored on course for a playoff spot.
- Vancouver has now gone 15 straight games without scoring more than three goals.
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Vancouver Canucks with a 4-2 win on Tuesday night, marking their third victory in March.
Juraj Slafkovský’s goal and two assists were joined in by similar offensive contributions from linemates Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, who also chipped in with a goal and an assist.
Impossible d'arrêter ce duo, vous pouvez seulement espérer le contenir
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 12, 2025
You can't stop this duo, you can only hope to contain them#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/OUWdVkqN1w
Mike Matheson put the game on ice with an empty-net goal in the final seconds, securing Montreal’s third win in March.
direction : filet
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 12, 2025
nothing but net#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/sgbdqItsL1
Sam Montembeault also contributed to the victory, moving fast in the net, turning aside 29 of 31 shots and providing a strong backbone for the team’s defensive effort.
Montreal’s top line has been electric since returning from the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Suzuki has been especially productive, racking up five goals and 10 assists in eight games.
Similarly., Caufield netted six goals with three assists, while Slafkovský contributed four goals and four assists during that span.
The win holds the Habs (31-27-6) in place for the playoff race. Meantime, Vancouver (29-24-11) is still struggling to find consistency.
The Canadiens have now picked up at least a point in every game this month, with three wins and two overtime losses.
Lucky 13th for Canucks’ Pettersson
The Canucks found the back of the net two times, courtesy of Filip Hronek, who recorded a goal and an assist, and Elias Pettersson, who capitalized on a power-play opportunity in the third period to notch his 13th goal of the season.
Kevin Lankinen stopped 23 shots, but the Canucks fell short for the second consecutive game following Sunday’s 4-1 defeat against the Dallas Stars.
Vancouver made a last-ditch effort to force overtime, pulling Lankinen for an extra attacker in the final minutes.
However, Montreal’s defense held firm, preventing any dangerous scoring chances before Matheson sealed the deal with an empty-netter.
Canucks’ Goal Draught Continues
Vancouver’s offense continues to sputter. The team has failed to score more than three goals in a game for 15 straight contests, a drought that stretches back to January 29 when they defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-2.
Vancouver also remains the only NHL team yet to complete a third-period comeback this season. The Canucks are now 0-19-4 when trailing after two periods.
Up next, the Canadiens will conclude their four-game road trip against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, while the Canucks will travel to face the Calgary Flames on the same day with selected odds available from Canadian sportsbooks.
