Local players making big impact in Habs' impressive run

London, Ont. -

Ask most pundits at the start of the NHL Playoffs and the Montreal Canadiens should not be where they are, one win away from the Stanley Cup Final, but with the help of some players with London roots that’s exactly where they are.

The Canadiens were the last team to qualify for the playoffs and were immediately met with a formidable foe in the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team many thought were a legitimate contender especially with the league’s leading scorer.

Five games in and it looked as if all the pundits' predictions were coming true. Then came a remarkable run.

Montreal would not lose another game until the first game against the Vegas Golden Knights, two series later.

With the series tied going into game five, Tuesday night’s game was all the more crucial with the winning team getting one step closer to the final. Enter Nick Suzuki and Corey Perry.

Many Londoners will remember that Corey Perry was part of the 2005 London Knights squad that won the Memorial Cup before moving on to huge success in the NHL while Nick Suzuki was born and raised in the Forest City.

Both have been instrumental throughout the Canadien’s impressive run and Tuesday night was no different.

Suzuki notched three points in the game including an empty net goal that would ultimately seal the deal for the Canadiens.

For a full game recap click here. 

Suzuki now has 13 points in the playoffs, the second most of any Canadiens player.

Corey Perry made arguably the play of the game to feed Cole Caufield on a 2 on 1 powerplay break to widen Montreal’s lead in the second period.

The assist brings veteran Perry up to nine points during the playoff run.

With nothing certain in these playoffs, the Canadiens will be looking for their top players to keep producing against the league’s elite teams.

But one thing has been certain: it has been one entertaining ride so far.