Canadiens 6, Bruins 5 (SO): Defenseman Andrei Markov forged a tie with nine seconds remaining in the third period and rookie Brendan Gallagher scored in the sixth round of the shootout as visiting Montreal seized sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division.
Peter Budaj replaced Carey Price to start the third period and stopped 14 of 15 shots before denying all six attempts in the bonus format. Former Bruin Michael Ryder tallied twice while defenseman P.K. Subban and Gallagher also scored for the Canadiens, who posted a 4-3 road victory over the Bruins on March 3.
Patrice Bergeron collected a goal and three assists and Tyler Seguin recorded a three-point performance. Brad Marchand netted his team-leading 14th tally while rookie defenseman Dougie Hamilton and Nathan Horton also scored for the Bruins, who saw their five-game winning streak at TD Garden come to an end.
In the waning moments of regulation, Markov's shot from the point caromed off the stick of Boston captain Zdeno Chara and past Tuukka Rask.
Budaj kept the Bruins at bay in the shootout by stopping Seguin, Bergeron, David Krejci, Marchand, Horton and Rich Peverley. Gallagher ended the contest after skating in and wristing the puck between the pads of Rask.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ryder trimmed Montreal's deficit to 4-3 by converting a 2-on-1 for his second goal at 3:58 of the third period, but Seguin backhanded the puck over the pad of Budaj nearly eight minutes later to give Boston a two-goal edge. Gallagher responded 28 seconds later, taking advantage of a Boston miscue before tapping the puck into an open net. ... Bergeron recorded a goal and two assists in the Canadiens' 4-3 victory over the Bruins on March 3. ... ... Boston claimed LW Kaspars Daugavins off waivers from Ottawa prior to the game. Daugavins collected one goal and two assists in 19 games with the Senators.
Montreal | Boston | |
Tomas Plekanec 3 | Points | Patrice Bergeron 4 |
Michael Ryder 2 | Goals | Patrice Bergeron 1 |
Tomas Plekanec 3 | Assists | Patrice Bergeron 3 |
Andrei Markov 1 | Power Play Goals | Patrice Bergeron 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Peter Budaj .933 | Save Percentage | Tuukka Rask .821 |
Carey Price 22 | Saves | Tuukka Rask 23 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Montreal | 28 | 6 | 1-6 | 3-4 | 15 | 26 |
Boston | 41 | 5 | 1-4 | 5-6 | 19 | 44 |