Canadiens avoid elimination with Game 5 overtime winner vs. Maple Leafs (Video)

The Montreal Canadiens avoided elimination thanks to an overtime goal from Nick Suzuki to win Game 5 on Thursday.

The Montreal Canadiens were staring down elimination in Game 5, with the team blowing a 3-0 lead to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. The Maple Leafs, looking to clinch their first Stanley Cup Playoffs win since 2004, looked to have all the momentum entering overtime, but one costly error ended those hopes.

Less than a minute into overtime, Maple Leafs center Alex Galchenyuk retrieved the puck off the boards and attempted to pass it to defenseman Jake Muzzin. The feed was intercepted by Canadiens winger Cole Caufield, who raced into Toronto’s territory alongside Nick Suzuki. The two traded passes before Suzuki shot the puck past goaltender Jack Campbell to win the game 4-3 and extend the series.

Canadiens force Game 6, thanks to Nick Suzuki overtime-winning goal on Thursday

If the blunder made by Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry earlier this week proved anything, it is that a team can not afford to make a mistake in overtime. If they do, the game can be lost in an instant.

The Canadiens got to an early 3-0 lead thanks to two first period goals from winger Joel Armia and a second period score from center Jesper Kotkaniemi. Toronto bounced back thanks to a goal from center Zach Hyman in the second and two scores from defenseman Jake Muzzin in the third to send the game to overtime.

Montreal goaltender Carey Price stopped 30-of-33 shots on goal, one of which was an impressive save on Maple Leafs winger William Nylander. As for Campbell, he stopped 25-of-29 shots from the Canadiens. While the turnover by Galchenyuk will garner the most attention, what can not be lost is that he did set up Muzzin’s game-tying goal in the third period.

Game 6 will take place in Montreal this Saturday. The Maple Leafs will look to end things with a win to earn the right to face the Winnipeg Jets in the second-round, while the Canadiens hope to force a Game 7.