Laine scores in Montreal debut, Suzuki gets OT winner and Canadiens edge Islanders 3-2

MONTREAL (AP) — Patrik Laine scored in his highly anticipated Montreal debut, Nick Suzuki scored in overtime, and the Canadiens beat the New York Islanders 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Laine, playing his first regular-season game in nearly a year, opened the scoring on the power play 7:23 into the second period.

Suzuki scored at 2:39 of overtime, following up his own rebound. Sam Montembeault stopped 30 shots.

Anders Lee scored for New York, which lost for the fourth time in its last five games. Ilya Sorokin made 25 saves.

Laine missed the first 24 games of the regular season after sustaining a left knee sprain during preseason play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 28.

Laine, who the Canadiens acquired before the season, hadn’t played since last Dec. 14 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Islanders: The Islanders continued to struggle with the man advantage, going 0 for 3. New York entered the game with the league’s second-worst power play at 12.9%.

Canadiens: Laine finished with one goal, two shots and two hits in 17 minutes, 27 seconds. He skated on the Canadiens’ second line with Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky and started on Montreal’s top power-play unit, which went 1 for 2.

Laine received the puck and had all the time in the world to turn and pick his spot on Sorokin. He pumped his fists as teammates swarmed him.

355 — The number of days since Laine’s last regular-season game. Laine scored a goal against the Maple Leafs but broke his clavicle. He later entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Jan. 28 to prioritize his mental health and was cleared to return on July 26, three weeks before his trade to Montreal.

The Canadiens play host to the Nashville Predators on Thursday night and the Islanders return home to play the Seattle Kraken.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault (35) stops a shot by New York Islanders' Jean-Gabriel Pageau, not shown, as Canadiens' Jayden Struble (47) skates in to defend during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, left, keeps an eye on the puck as Montreal Canadiens' Joel Armia (40) looks for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Islanders' Anders Lee (27) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault (35) stops a shot by New York Islanders' Matt Martin (17) as Canadiens' Lane Hutson (48) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates his game-winning goal against the New York Islanders with teammate Cole Caufield (13) during overtime in an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky (20) looks on as a shot by teammate Patrik Laine scores on New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Patrik Laine (92) celebrates his first goal of the season with teammates Nick Suzuki (14), Lane Hutson (48), Cole Caufield (13) and Juraj Slafkovsky (20) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan where he was scheduled to speak at an investor meeting Wednesday morning, according to a person briefed on the investigation.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the investigation.

Police did not release the victim's name, but said a 50-year-old was shot around 6:45 a.m. outside a Hilton before the shooter fled.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital but could not be saved.

The preliminary police investigation indicated the shooting was “a targeted murder,” according to Mayor Eric Adams.

He said police were looking at evidence recovered from the scene and canvassing video. “Tell New Yorkers: NYPD is on the job,” he said. “Again, this was not what appears to be a just random act of violence. It seems to be clearly targeted by an individual and we will apprehend that individual.”

UnitedHealthcare is the insurance arm of the health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc. The Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company was scheduled to have its annual meeting with investors in New York City to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year, according to a company media advisory. An announcement was made to attendees Wednesday morning that the conference was ending early.

The Hilton is in a bustling part of Manhattan, a short walk from tourist sites such as the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center, and often dense with tourists and office workers on weekday mornings. The popular Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting is set to take place Wednesday evening.

Part of the block where the shooting took place was cordoned off with police tape, with a large contingent of police officers at the scene. Many security cameras are nearby.

Thompson had served as CEO for more than three years and had been with the company since 2004.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tweeted that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”

“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs.

Associated Press writer Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Indiana, contributed to this story.

The UnitedHealthcare headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn., lowered its flags to half-staff on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in honor of CEO Brian Thompson, who was fatally shot outside a hotel in New York. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

This undated photo provided by UnitedHealth Group shows UnitedHealthcare chief executive officer Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/UnitedHealth Group via AP)

A New York police officer walks outside a hotel where a shooting occurred in midtown Manhattan, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick)