TORONTO (AP) — Nick Suzuki scored 59 seconds into overtime and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Thursday night, rebounding after blowing a three-goal lead to force Game 6 in the Original Six first-round matchup.
Cole Caufield intercepted Alex Galchenyuk's pass in Montreal’s zone and moved in with Suzuki on a 2-on-0. Suzuki made a pass to Caufield after crossing into Toronto’s zone, got the puck back from his rookie teammate and beat Jack Campbell to the blocker side.
Joel Armia scored twice, Jesperi Kotkaniemi added a goal and Carey Price made 32 saves to help Montreal cut Toronto's series lead to 3-2.
Jake Muzzin scored twice for Toronto. Zach Hyman had a goal and Campbell stopped 26 shots.
The Quebec government will allow 2,500 fans into the Bell Centre on Saturday for Game 6, the first NHL crowd in Canada since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
The Maple Leafs missed an opportunity to win a playoff series for the first time since 2004, but still have two more cracks at advancing.
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1of17Montreal Canadiens centre Nick Suzuki (14) scores on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) during overtime in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less2of17Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates his overtime goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs with Cole Caufield (22) during Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less3of174of17Montreal Canadiens' Jon Merrill (28) and Carey Price (31) celebrate the team's overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less5of17Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin (8) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens with William Nylander (88) during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less6of177of17Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin (8) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens with William Nylander (88) during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less8of17Montreal Canadiens center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) carries the puck to the front of the net before scoring on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less9of1710of17Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates a goal by Zach Hyman, second from left, against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less11of17Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (31) stops Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Zach Hyman (11) on a breakaway during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less12of1713of17Montreal Canadiens center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs with Paul Byron (41) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less14of17Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) watches the puck as Montreal Canadiens left wing Tomas Tatar (90) looks for a rebound during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less15of1716of17Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) makes a save on Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)Frank Gunn/APShow MoreShow Less17of17
The Winnipeg Jets await the winner following their sweep of Edmonton in the North Division’s other first-round series.
Kotkaniemi gave Montreal a 3-0 lead at 4:52 of the second period.
The top seed in the division during the NHL’s pandemic-truncated campaign, 18 points clear of their opponent in the standings, the Maple Leafs showed some life 1:40 later when Mitch Marner threw a puck in front from behind the goal line that Hyman slid home.
Toronto cut it to one just after its only power play ended when Muzzin blasted a point shot through a screen at 6:52 of the third.
The Maple Leafs got even with 8:06 left in regulation when Muzzin drove the net and tipped Galchenyuk’s shot through Price’s legs.
