Ryan Suzuki got the better of older brother Nick Suzuki on the opening draw Saturday night, but the real win came with both brothers standing at centre ice at Bell Centre for their first NHL faceoff against one another.
Key takeaways
- Nick Suzuki and Ryan Suzuki opened the Montreal Canadiens’ preseason game against the Ottawa Senators by taking the ceremonial first faceoff.
- The brothers’ parents, Rob and Amanda Suzuki, watched the moment from the Bell Centre stands.
- Ryan, the younger Suzuki, won the draw and claimed the family bragging rights.
- Montreal begins its regular season Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. ET.
- Ottawa opens its schedule Saturday in Toronto, also at 7 p.m. ET.
A family matchup at centre ice
The preseason meeting gave the Suzuki brothers a moment years in the making. Nick, Montreal’s captain, lined up opposite Ryan before the opening puck drop, with a small shove from the older brother adding a little family edge to the occasion.
Ryan said the scene brought the brothers back to their earliest days on skates.
“That was a really cool moment,” Ryan said during the first intermission. “It was great that they allowed Nick to start and take the draw against me. We’ve competed ever since I learned how to skate, so it felt like things had come full circle.”
With their parents in attendance and other family members watching from home, the draw carried more weight than a typical preseason faceoff.
“Having my parents here was nice, and I know the boys were watching at home,” Ryan said. “It was a cool moment.”
Ryan takes the draw
When the puck hit the ice, Ryan won it. He was happy to take the result, though he suggested Nick may have been feeling generous.
“I put everything into it,” Ryan said. “I think he might have let me have that one.”
The Canadiens now turn toward a Tuesday regular-season opener against the Maple Leafs in Toronto. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET, with Sportsnet and TVA Sports carrying the game.
Ottawa’s regular-season start comes Saturday, also against Toronto at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.
