After the Montreal Canadiens’ 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan had high praise for Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki going so far as to compare him to Boston Bruins legend Patrice Bergeron.

The comparison couldn’t have come at a better time for Suzuki and his surging Canadiens squad, who extended their winning streak to seven games with the Thursday night triumph. Cole Caufield scored twice, including the game-winner with just over five minutes remaining but it was the play of their captain that caught Sullivan’s eye.

“You know, you look at Suzuki in the middle. I think his game, he’s got one of the mature, more mature 200 foot games in the league right now,” Sullivan said following the loss.

“You know, he’s he’s he reminds me of Patrice Bergeron. The way he plays the game, he just there’s an honesty to his game. He plays on both sides of the puck. He wins faceoffs. He’s gritty.”

The praise carried significant weight given Bergeron’s legendary status in the game. Sullivan also praised Suzuki’s complete game and leadership qualities.

Bergeron, who retired after the 2022-23 season, compiled remarkable career statistics over his 19 seasons with the Bruins. He finished with 427 goals and 613 assists for 1,040 points in 1,294 games, winning six Selke Trophies and one Stanley Cup. Beyond the numbers, Bergeron was celebrated for his defensive excellence, winning faceoffs and an honest two-way game that made him a cornerstone of Boston’s success.

Rangers HC heaps praise on Nick Suzuki’s top line

The Canadiens have positioned themselves firmly in the Atlantic Division playoff race currently sitting two points behind the co-leaders Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres. Suzuki’s evolution into an elite two-way center has been central to Montreal’s resurgence after several seasons of rebuilding.

Mike Sullivan also spoke highly of the Habs’ top line and about the Canadiens as a whole.

“Obviously they’re one of the teams, they’re one of the emerging teams in the league. You know, they’re um they’re young and fast. They can really skate. They got a lot of high-end skill,” Sullivan said. “You know, their top line, I said to you guys this morning, Caufield, I think, had 37, five and five goals. He’s broaching the 50 goal mark. That’s impressive.”

Caufield now sits at 49 goals on the season, trailing Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon by just one goal for the league lead.

“Suzuki’s a good-sized kid. Slafkovsky is a is a you know is obviously is big with his physical stature and then you add a guy like Caufield to that line. I think there’s there’s balance there,” Sullivan added.

Mike Sullivan also spoke at length about the Canadiens’ depth and team structure praising their mobile defense corps and their ability to play with pace and tempo.

For the Rangers, who were eliminated from playoff contention on March 25, Thursday’s game was another measuring-stick moment against a team heading in the opposite direction.