COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a thrilling overtime finish, Nick Suzuki found the net just 44 seconds into the extra period, leading the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night, thus ending their two-game losing streak.

Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovsky contributed with a goal and an assist, while Cole Caufield netted a power-play goal. Emil Heineman also added a score to the Canadiens’ tally. Goalkeeper Cayden Primeau made 21 crucial saves during the matchup for Montreal, which now stands at 8-11-3 on the season.

Columbus saw Mathieu Olivier and Yegor Chinakhov score goals in the contest. Notably, Zach Werenski achieved a Gordie Howe hat trick by recording a goal, providing an assist, and engaging in a fight. Elvis Merzlikins was in goal for the Blue Jackets, making 19 saves as their record now sits at 9-9-3.

Takeaways from the game reveal that despite a demanding back-to-back game schedule on the road, the Canadiens displayed significant resilience and energy, rallying effectively to clinch the win in overtime.

For the Blue Jackets, the game was marked by missed opportunities, as they relinquished their lead twice, resulting in the end of their three-game winning streak.

A pivotal moment occurred when Kent Johnson lost his footing while advancing in overtime, which led to an odd-man rush for the Canadiens. Suzuki capitalized on the opportunity, scoring after collecting his own rebound for the decisive goal.

In a noteworthy statistic, Werenski’s assist on Olivier’s score marked his eighth assist in just six games, tying him with Bryan Berard for the longest streak by a defenseman in franchise history. As a leading force for his team, Werenski tops the roster with 21 points, comprising six goals and 15 assists, placing him third among NHL defensemen this season.

Looking ahead, the Canadiens are set to face off against the New York Rangers this Saturday afternoon, while the Blue Jackets will host the Calgary Flames on Friday afternoon.