Nick Suzuki scores to lead Canadiens over Panthers 4-2

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Nick Suzuki scored to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

Suzuki scored on a snap shot with 17:58 left in the third period to put the Canadiens ahead 3-2. Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson each got an assist on the goal.

Patrik Laine, Brendan Gallagher and Slafkovsky also scored for the Canadiens.

Seth Jones and Sam Reinhart each scored for the Panthers.

Samuel Montembeault stopped 24 shots in the win for the Canadiens. Sergei Bobrovsky had 18 saves for the Panthers.

Canadiens: Montreal is now 4-3-3 over its last 10 games.

Panthers: Florida is 5-5-0 in its last 10.

Gallagher helped close it out with an empty-netter with 1:44 left. Gallagher has three goals and five assists in his last seven games.

Hutson had three assists for Montreal. It was Hutson’s 14th multi-assist game of 2024-25, tying Larry Murphy (1980-81) for second-most in a season by a rookie defenseman in NHL history — trailing Chris Chelios with 16 in 1984-85.

Next up for both clubs is a rematch on Tuesday.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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

Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers players fight during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovský (20) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault (35) stops a shot on goal by Florida Panthers center Nico Sturm (8) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) and Montreal Canadiens right wing Patrik Laine (92) go after the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens right wing Patrik Laine (92) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens right wing Patrik Laine (92) and Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) ago after the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) protects the net as Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (71) attempts a shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens fans cheer after the team defeated the Florida Panthers at an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) and Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) go after the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovský (20) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) deflects a shot by Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (71) passes the puck as Florida Panthers center Nico Sturm (8) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice gestures during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault (35) defends a shot b Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defends a shot by Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher (11) congratulated by his teammates after scoring a goal late in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland lawmakers voted Wednesday to create a commission to study and recommend potential reparations for slavery and the lingering effects of racial discrimination in the state.

The 101-36 vote in the Maryland House sends the bill to Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat who says he will consider the legislation.

Potential reparations outlined in the bill include official statements of apology, monetary compensation, property tax rebates, social service assistance, as well as licensing and permit fee waivers and reimbursement. Reparations also could include assistance with making a down payment on a home, business incentives, child care, debt forgiveness, and tuition payment waivers for higher education.

The measure was a top priority of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, which has 66 members and is the largest Black caucus in the nation's state legislatures.

“The commission will carefully examine and evaluate a range of reparations proposals that will not only consider financial restitution, but will also explore strategies to support and uplift vulnerable communities that continue to suffer the lingering and evasive effects of discriminatory practices rooted in systematic racism,” Del. Aletheia McCaskill, a Baltimore County Democrat, said when the caucus outlined its priorities for the legislative session in January.

Moore, who is the state's first Black governor and nation's only Black governor currently in office, has declined to say whether he will sign the measure, noting the lingering impact of racism while also acknowledging the state's difficult budget conditions.

“I have said and long stated that the history of racism in this state is real,” the governor told reporters, adding that the impacts "are still very much being felt and they’ve been structurally felt within the state of Maryland.”

Moore also noted the state's fiscal constraints in a tough budget year, saying he's viewing legislation through the lens of growing Maryland's economy, making the state more business-friendly and investing in the state's people.

Last year, California lawmakers passed some of the nation’s most ambitious legislation aimed at atoning for a legacy of racist policies that drove racial disparities for Black people. None of the bills provided widespread direct payments to Black Americans. Instead, California lawmakers approved the return of land or compensation to families whose property was unjustly seized by the government, and issuing a formal apology.

New York City lawmakers approved legislation last year to study the city’s significant role in slavery and consider reparations to descendants of enslaved people.

Maryland Del. Aletheia McCaskill, a Democrat, speaks about a bill to create a state commission to study potential reparations for slavery during a news conference with members of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, Jan. 16, 2025, in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo/Brian Witte)