Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki receives a shower of individual honours

Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki reacts after taking a shot on goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, in Detroit. (Jose Juarez / The Canadian Press)

A shower of individual honours showered Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki on Monday.

The Habs captain earned the NHL’s third star of the week, just hours after winning the Molson Cup for the month of February.

Suzuki finished second in the league with seven points (3-4) in three games, as the Canadiens (29-26-5, 63 points) capped a perfect week to move within three points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Suzuki picked up three points in each of his first two games, collecting a goal and two assists in a 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 25, before notching two goals and an assist (the one that set the stage for Cole Caufield’s overtime winner) in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on the 27th.

He then added an assist in a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on March 1, giving the CH a fourth straight victory - their longest winning streak so far this season.

Earlier in the morning, the Bleu-blanc-rouge awarded the Molson Cup for the month of February to Suzuki, after No. 14 had been named first star on two occasions (Feb. 25 against the Hurricanes and Feb. 27 against the Sharks) and third star once (Feb. 22 against the Senators in Ottawa). In eight games in February, the Habs captain scored three goals and led the team with six assists and nine points.

Suzuki reached the 60-point plateau for the fourth consecutive season on Feb. 27 against the Sharks.

A ceremony honouring him will take place before Monday night’s game against the Sabres at the Bell Centre.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and Dallas Stars centre Roope Hintz earned the first two stars of the week, in that order.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 3, 2025.