Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens was fined $2500 for cross-checking Anton Lundell

The NHL Department of Player Safety has fined Nick Suzuki $2,500 for cross-checking Anton Lundell of the Florida Panthers. The decision was taken on Friday by the department after a review of the incident.

It was a tense match with ten goals scored in the first period. Despite scoring first, the Canadiens lost track of the game as Carter Verhaeghe scored twice to give his team a four-goal lead in the first period.

The Canadiens were unable to recover from the onslaught and were defeated after forty minutes of play after conceding two more goals in the second period. The Canadiens attempted to close the gap in the third period, but the Panthers defense held their lines and won 9-5.

Apart from the score, Nick Suzuki made it to the headlines for his actions during the game. The Montreal Canadiens forward was given a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct on Anton Lundell during the game.

How has Nick Suzuki performed this season?

Montreal Canadiens v Philadelphia Flyers

The 23-year-old has played 69 games this season, averaging 21 minutes on the ice. He has scored 21 goals with a shooting percentage of 15.8 and has 30 assists to his name. He is tied first in the team's goal contributions charts and second on goals scored.

Montreal Canadiens 2022-23 season overview

The Habs(27-36-6) have had a poor season and are languishing last in the Eastern Conference Atlantic with 60 points. They have been nonclinical on the offense and have scored 191 goals in 69 games averaging less than three per game.

Contributions from Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufieldis have constituted almost half of the team's goals. Their defense has let them further down and has allowed 3.7 goals per game this season. All the goaltenders have performed below par and have a combined save percentage of 0.897.

What's next for Nick Suzuki and the Montreal Canadiens?

Nick Suzuki will look to deliver his best in the upcoming games and try to set records for himself. Also, with the pressure of playoff qualification shunted away, he can play his natural game and benefit from it.

Having lost their eight in the last ten games, the Canadiens are going through a rough patch. With the playoffs qualification looking bleak, the Canadiens can look to make the best of the coming opportunities. They can test their bench strength before the start of the next season. The Canadiens will play the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 18, 2023.