MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens have been a dangerous team on the penalty kill this season, and it proved to be the difference in a 2-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night at the Bell Centre.

Center Torrey Mitchell's late second-period short-handed goal was the Canadiens' eighth of its kind this season, moving them into a tie with the Ottawa Senators for most in the NHL.

"When you win the special teams battle, you definitely give yourself a much greater opportunity of winning the game," said left winger Max Pacioretty, who scored Montreal's other goal. "It's important. This game is so tightly checked that five-on-five goals are very, very tough to score, especially against a team like that, that shuts it down very well.

"You've got to rely on special teams sometimes and just thankful both penalty kill and power play stepped up."

Center Adam Henrique replied for the Devils (20-16-5), who have now scored one goal in their last two games, both losses.

Goaltender Mike Condon stopped 19 shots for the Canadiens (23-16-3).

A late first-period power play set the table for the Canadiens to open the scoring at 19:00. After passing the puck around for a stretch, looking for an opening, defenseman P.K. Subban fed Tomas Plekanec along the right side. The center skated just inside the circle before dishing off to Pacioretty at the other side of the circle for the tip-in, with right winger Brendan Gallagher screening Schneider.

The Devils challenged for goaltender interference on the play but the call on the ice stood.

"Once Plekanec moved the puck, I never really found it again and it just found a way in," said Schneider, who stopped 23 shots. "I think that just goes to show the value of having someone parked in front of the net like that."

Center David Desharnais had a chance to double the Canadiens' lead at 16:31 when he was awarded a penalty shot after New Jersey's Jordin Tootoo used a broken stick on the ice to get the puck away from the Habs' forward, but his shot went high.

Schneider is now 4-for-4 on penalty shots he's faced this season.

Nearly two minutes later, Montreal's penalty kill made it 2-0. An attempted pass by the Devils at the Montreal blue line went into the neutral zone, where left winger Paul Byron picked it up before skating in on a 2-on-1 with Mitchell. Byron waited and Devils defenseman Damon Severson dropped and slid out of position, opening Mitchell up for an easy tip-in on Schneider's left.

Byron's helper was his league-leading fifth point on the penalty kill.

"Darcy Regier once told me in Buffalo that you need a niche to make a spot in the NHL, and I think the PK is definitely my niche and something I excel at," he said.

"I don't know what it is -- anticipation, being in lanes, more room out there," he added. "I just try to do a job to outwork the power play and try to give up as little chances as possible. With my speed and quickness, I can kill plays. I've got a good stick and most of the time we're doing more good than giving up chances."

The Devils got on the board 50 seconds into the third period. Right winger Lee Stempniak sent the puck along the boards to defenseman Andy Greene at the point. The Devils captain fired and Henrique, inside the top of the left circle, deflected it five-hole on a screened Condon.

"We came out good," Henrique said. "We get that one early and then go from there but you've still got to find that way to get that second one. I thought we were pretty good 5-on-5 majority of the game but we've still got to find a way to tie it up."

Shortly thereafter, Montreal thought it had restored its two-goal lead on a Plekanec tally, but it was quickly waved off for being batted in by a high stick.

New Jersey defenseman John Moore played one shift in the first period before leaving the game with an injury. He did not return.

NOTES: Montreal made one change to its lineup from Tuesday's loss, inserting RW Sven Andrighetto in place of LW Tomas Fleischmann, a healthy scratch alongside D Jarred Tinordi and D Greg Pateryn. ... Injuries sidelined Devils D David Schlemko, LW Mike Cammalleri (upper body), C/W Patrik Elias and C Jacob Josefson while C Tyler Kennedy was a healthy scratch. ... New Jersey D Andy Greene suited up for his 600th career NHL game -- all with the Devils -- becoming the sixth defenseman and 16th player in franchise history to reach the mark. ... The game was Montreal's first since Dec. 17, coming after a season-high eight straight on the road. ... Canadiens D P.K. Subban was selected to the 2016 All-Star team on Wednesday. ... G Cory Schneider is the Devils' representative on the All-Star team.