Posted on by Guest Writer
Nick Suzuki - Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens Captain Nick Suzuki helped the Canadiens erase a multi-goal deficit and combined on the 5-4 overtime winner.
07
Jan

NHL JANUARY 6, 2025 – EAST PLAYOFF PICTURE TIGHTENS AFTER CANADIENS, SABRES EARN VICTORIES

The Canadiens (19-18-3, 41 points) and Sabres (15-21-5, 35 points) each required more than 60 minutes to collect two crucial points in the Eastern Conference standings – a playoff picture that now features all clubs within six points of a postseason position.

  • Captain Nick Suzuki (1-2—3) and 20-year-old Lane Hutson (1-2—3) helped the Canadiens erase a multi-goal deficit and then combined on the 5-4 overtime winner after the Canucks netted a game-tying tally in the third period. Montreal, which leapfrogged idle Pittsburgh (17-17-7, 41 points), Ottawa (19-17-2, 40 points) and Columbus (17-17-6, 40 points), occupies a playoff spot at this stage of a season (639 GP) or later for the first time since 2020-21 – when the club made the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in nearly three decades.
  • Hutson, who factored on three straight Canadiens goals to eclipse the 30-point mark in his career (3-29—32 in 42 GP), became the third rookie defenseman in franchise history with at least eight multi-point games in a single season. The others: Chris Chelios (17 in 1984-85) and Guy Lapointe (10 in 1970-71).
  • Tage Thompson (1-0—1) scored one of Buffalo’s three goals in regulation as the Sabres improved to 4-2-1 in their past seven games and defeated the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals. Their four wins since Dec. 23, 2024 are one shy of the most among all teams.
  • Thompson, who already owned the NHL’s hardest shot in 2024-25 (106 mph on Dec. 31 at DAL), also took over the title of the League’s hardest goal after he beat Charlie Lindgren with a 103.7 mph shot midway through the second frame. Thompson has recorded the hardest shot by a forward in each of the past four seasons since NHL EDGE began tracking in 2021-22.

U.S.-BORN STARS CELEBRATE MILESTONES MONDAY
Three U.S.-born stars celebrated milestones during a four-game schedule as John Carlson (0-2—2) notched his 700th career point, Quinn Hughes (0-2—2) found the score sheet in his 400th NHL game and Jack Hughes (0-1—1) registered his 200th career assist.

  • Carlson (154-546—700 in 1,049 GP) recorded his 99th career multi-assist game and became just the seventh U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history to reach the 700-point milestone as the Capitals (26-10-4, 56 points) passed the idle Jets (27-12-2, 56 points) for second place in the League standings behind the Golden Knights (27-9-3, 57 points).
  • Hughes collected each of his points with an assist on a game-tying goal and tied Thomas Gradin (77) for the fourth-most multi-assist games in franchise history. The Canucks captain has collected multiple points in four of his past five games and boosted his career totals to 51-326—377 (400 GP). Only four other defensemen in NHL history have collected at least 300 assists through the milestone contest: Bobby Orr (358), Paul Coffey (327), Brian Leetch (321) and Gary Suter (300).
  • The Kraken tied the game twice, but the younger Hughes brother (129-200—329 in 349 GP) collected a primary assist on a go-ahead goal early in the third period and required the fewest games in franchise history to reach 200 career helpers – two contests faster than Scott Gomez (351 GP).

RANTANEN EXTENDS HIS POINT STREAK
Mikko Rantanen scored to extend his point streak to 14 games and help the Avalanche (25-15-1, 51 points) push their point streak to eight (7-0-1). Rantanen matched the longest stretch of his career (also 14 GP in 2018-19) and tied Leon Draisaitl (14 GP; active) for the longest run in the NHL this season.

STREAKS ON THE LINE DURING 10-GAME TUESDAY
A busy 10-game slate features a rematch between the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs (26-13-2, 54 points) and Wild Card-chasing Flyers (17-18-5, 39 points) broadcast nationally in the U.S. on ESPN+ and Hulu. Toronto, looking for its fifth straight win, is one of several teams and players that will put streaks on the line across the League on Tuesday.

  • Auston Matthews, who has points in each of his past six contests, enters Tuesday’s contest with a nine-game point streak versus the Flyers dating to Nov. 10, 2021 (7-9—16) – his second-longest active run against one franchise (11 GP vs. DAL dating to Feb. 7, 2017). Matthews, who had two points against Philadelphia on Sunday, can also become the fourth-fastest active player to reach 200 career multi-point games (588 GP), following Sidney Crosby (465 GP), Connor McDavid (466 GP) and Alex Ovechkin (570 GP).
  • Leon Draisaitl will look to extend his point streak to 15 games and help the Oilers snap the Bruins’ home point streak at seven contests (6-0-1) when they visit TD Garden. Should he do so, Draisaitl would become the sixth different player in Oilers history with a 15-game point streak and just the second in 35 years, following McDavid (5x, longest: 17 GP in 2022-23 & 2021-22).
  • The Penguins have earned a win in each of their past 15 home games against the Blue Jackets dating to Dec. 21, 2015 – the League’s longest active run versus one franchise – and will look to extend their stretch when they host Columbus at PPG Paints Arena. Sidney Crosby (4-15—19) and Evgeni Malkin (9-10—19) lead Pittsburgh players in points during that streak.
  • The Golden Knights have recorded a point in all 16 road games they have played against the Sharks since entering the League in 2017-18 (13-0-3). Vegas already holds the longest active road point streak versus one opponent and can tie the fifth longest in NHL history – the last team with a lengthier stretch was Detroit, which had a point in 21 straight road games against St. Louis from April 9, 1991 to Jan. 26, 2007 (13-0-8).
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Guest Writer