Suzuki scores in shootout and Allen makes 42 saves as Canadiens come back to beat Jets 4-3
MONTREAL (AP) — Goaltender Jake Allen made 42 saves as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in a shootout Saturday night.
Montreal captain Nick Suzuki scored to open the shootout and Allen shut the door the rest of the way after a scoreless back-and-forth overtime period.
“We had more than enough chances to bury and get that fourth one, we had a power play at the end of the third, too,” said Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon. “I think the team as a whole is feeling good about our game and where it’s at right now.
“We found a way to get a point tonight, but frustrating we didn’t get two.”
Jets interim coach Scott Arniel gave credit where it was due after the game.
“You know what, we threw out 45 shots and there were legitimate A1 chances that we had, and give the goaltender credit. He made some big stops for them,” said Arniel, filling in for head coach Rick Bowness, who’s on leave from the team after his wife Judy had a seizure Sunday.
“We could’ve blown that one out, maybe made it three or four nothing there. They hung in there and he gave them a chance.”
Allen instead gave credit to the team playing in front of him, including defenseman Kaiden Guhle, who returned from a four-game absence due to an upper-body injury.
While Justin Barron, Sean Monahan and Joel Armia had the goals for Montreal (5-2-1), Guhle pitched in with two assists on top of some stout defense.
Guhle was especially needed after top Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson left Saturday’s contest after the second period and did not return. The Canadiens announced he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Montreal was already down top-pairing defenseman David Savard for six-to-eight weeks due to a left-hand fracture.
Armia, making his season debut, evened the score at 3-3 one minute 54 seconds into the third period with a shot on the rush off a pass from Guhle.
The 30-year-old Armia, who played for the Jets from 2015-2018, began the season with the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket, producing four goals and an assist in four games.
“It’s great for him. He worked really hard and he comes in, it’s a former team, and he comes in to the lineup and scores a huge goal and gives us a huge boost,” said Monahan. “It’s a credit to him for how dedicated he is to this team.”
Montreal’s Cole Caufield, who scored the OT winner Thursday in a 4-3 comeback win over Columbus, missed a wide-open cage on a one-timer with 30 seconds left.
Captain Adam Lowry scored twice, Nino Niederreiter had a goal and an assist, and Mason Appleton pitched in two helpers for Winnipeg (4-3-1). Backup netminder Laurent Brossoit made 26 saves.
Jets star Mark Scheifele, who was suspended four games for a hit that injured Canadiens forward Jake Evans in the 2021 playoffs, received boos from the Bell Centre fans every time he touched the puck.
UP NEXT
Jets: Hosts the New York Rangers on Monday.
Canadiens: Opens a three-game road trip against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.
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