Sam Surridge hat trick powers Nashville past CF Montreal

Sam Surridge recorded his first MLS hat trick as Nashville SC broke out to halt a five-match winless rut with Saturday night's 4-1 home win over CF Montreal.

Surridge, in his second league season, opened the scoring in the 12th minute and added what proved to be a key goal two minutes into the second half. Those tallies sandwiched Walker Zimmerman's successful header at the 20-minute mark in just his fourth match of an injury-plagued season.

Then after Montreal got within 3-1 just past the hour mark, Surridge, who entered with two goals in seven matches, came through amid some net-front chaos in the 82nd minute to cap his milestone night.

The victory ended an 0-3-2 slide for Nashville (2-3-5, 11 points), which dated to its 2-1 victory over Charlotte FC on March 16.

Raheem Edwards pressured Nashville into committing an own goal off Zimmerman in the 64th minute to get Montreal (3-4-3, 12 points) on the board. The visitors remained competitive, but they had another late Nashville own-goal overturned due to offsides via review, and failed to post at least one point for the first time in four matches.

Despite totaling just 10 goals entering this match, Nashville pressured from the get-go and was rewarded early. An on-side Surridge got behind the Montreal back line, made a cut-back move on goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, then lightly curled the ball into the net.

Less than 10 minutes later, Zimmerman didn't show any ill effects of a lingering knee issue by getting above the crowd to head home Hany Mukhtar's corner.

Shortly after halftime, Mukhtar masterfully set up Surridge. Bringing the ball into the side of the box, Mukhtar slid it to a streaking Surridge to bury for the 3-0 lead.

Things got somewhat interesting minutes past the hour mark when Zimmerman unintentionally directed the ball into his own net that kept Montreal from being shut out for the fifth time this season.

Surridge completed the hat trick amid raucous action in the box off a late corner. Moments earlier he hit woodwork before finally prevailing.

Montreal is 0-3-2 all-time at Nashville.