WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Justin Barron scored a power-play goal 1:09 into overtime to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night.
Josh Anderson and Christian Dvorak also scored for the Canadiens, who have are 3-1-1 in their last five games.
“It’s the most organized that we’ve been since I’ve taken this job,” said Montreal coach Martin St. Louis, who was first hired on an interim basis in February 2022. “It takes time to build that, different parts of the game. ... I think we’re just evolving as a team, but as a group I feel we’re really locked in.”
Jake Allen made 30 saves for his first win in eight games (1-6-1).
“I feel like the last few games I’ve been playing well, just haven’t found a way to get that win and I’m just going to stay patient,” Allen said.
Cole Perfetti and Gabriel Villardi scored for the Jets, and Connor Hellebuyck had 23 saves.
In the extra period, Barron fired the puck through traffic to beat Hellebuyck for his sixth goal of the season with his parents and elder brother — Jets forward Morgan Barron, who was on the ice — in attendance.
“Pretty cool,” Justin Barron said. “I wasn’t necessarily expecting to get on the ice there and then it’s funny how it works out. (Adam) Lowry goes off so my brother gets on for them, and then (Mike Matheson) goes off for us and I get on. Yeah, definitely pretty special to do that.”
He planned to text his brother about the victory, but didn’t send it right after the game.
“No, no, god no. I’ll go see my family and say hi to them, but I can’t rub it in yet, I don’t think,” he said.
The Jets outshot the Canadiens 6-5 in a scoreless first period, with Perfetti and Dylan Samberg each hitting a post for Winnipeg.
There wasn’t much room out there for either team. It was fast-paced, it was a good period,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “Second period, honestly it comes down to special teams. It’s another game that we lost (the special-teams battle) and that’s what cost us the extra point.”
Anderson got the Canadiens on the scoreboard first when Mike Matheson fired the puck at the net and it went in off Anderson’s skate at 4:57 of the second period. It was his fourth of the season — and third in two games.
Anderson also factored into Dvorak’s power-play goal that made it 2-0 with 4:56 left in the second. Anderson gloved the puck in the air but didn’t appear to get his stick on it before it went over to Dvorak and he put it in the net for his third. Jets head coach Rick Bowness unsuccessfully challenged the goal.
Vilardi pulled the Jets to 2-1 with 56 seconds left in the period when he capitalized on a loose puck at the side of the net. It marked his fifth of the season and fourth in his past three games.
Perfetti tied it 2-2 off a rebound with 7:36 remaining in the third period. It was his 10th of the season and 20th point in 30 games.
“It was a good team comeback to get that point, it’s big for us, but obviously we don’t want to put ourselves in a 2-0 hole in the first place,” Perfetti said. “Once we have momentum like that, we want to be able to win that game. A little frustrating, it sucks, but it’s the way it is.”
The Jets have held opponents to three or fewer goals in 20 consecutive games, and 25 overall this season.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: At Minnesota on Thursday night in the second of a stretch of seven straight on the road.
Jets: Host Detroit on Wednesday night in the third of a four-game homestand.
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