Galchenyuk's goal gives Canadiens 5-4 win over Coyotes in OT (Feb 09, 2017)
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Montreal's long scoring drought ended with a five-goal outburst Thursday night, and that was just enough for the Canadiens to end a four-game losing streak.
Alex Galchenyuk scored 2:13 into overtime to give the Canadiens a 5-4 victory against the Arizona Coyotes. Max Pacioretty had two goals and two assists, one on the winning play.
''You know what? Pac was a true leader tonight,'' Montreal coach Michael Therrien said. ''He was a true captain. He took charge. He played a hell of a game and deserves a lot of credit for that win.''
Christian Dvorak scored twice for Arizona, his second tying it at 4 with 4:52 to play in regulation when he hit a wobbling puck into goalie Carey Price, who kicked it into the net.
Andrei Markov had a goal and an assist for Montreal. Max Domi, in his third game back since missing two months with a broken bone in his hand, had a goal and an assist for Arizona.
The Canadiens were shut out in their two previous games, the most recent an embarrassing 4-0 loss at Colorado.
''It was a big one for us,'' Galchenyuk said. ''It was an up-and-down game but, like we talked here in the locker room, we needed to get that win no matter what. It wasn't a perfect game but we got the win and that's the most important thing.''
The Coyotes took a 3-2 lead with a three-goal blitz over a 2:21 span late in the second period, but coach Dave Tippett said his team really had no business making the game as close as it was.
''We didn't have enough guys play well enough to win the game,'' he said. ''When you don't deserve to win the game, you don't win a game very often.''
Tippett said Domi ''was good.''
''That's the first game since he's come back that he really looked like he had his skating legs,'' Tippett said. ''We needed a few more players with skating legs tonight.''
Mike Smith made 35 saves for Arizona. Price had 20 for the Canadiens, who outshot the Coyotes 40-24.
Pacioretty's 27th goal of a season, 2:52 into the third period, tied it 3-all. Montreal regained the lead at 4-3 when Alexander Radulov scored with 10:04 remaining in regulation.
The first Arizona goal came on a power play, when Dvorak took a pass from Domi and scored on a left wrister into the upper right hand corner of the net with 6:14 to play in the second period.
The next two Arizona goals came 23 seconds apart.
With both teams down a player, Domi got a goal on a reversal of a call on the ice. Arizona's Peter Holland lost control of the puck at the net on a breakaway and Domi tried to jam the rebound past Price. At first, the ruling was no goal. But after a video review, Domi was awarded the score.
And 23 seconds later, the Coyotes caught Price looking the wrong way for a short-handed goal. Alex Goligoski knocked the puck into the open net to put Arizona ahead 3-2.
''It's tough going into the third period with a lead in this league,'' Domi said, ''so when you do you've got to take advantage of that and find a way to win the last 20 minutes, and we came up a little short.''
Montreal entered the game having not scored in 137 minutes, 11 seconds, but the drought ended in a hurry when Pacioretty took a pass from Phillip Danault in front and sent the puck past Smith 57 seconds in.
The Canadiens made it 2-0 with 6:50 left in the first on Markov's slap shot from the point. The puck glanced off Goligoski's stick, hit the post and bounced into the net. It was Markov's first goal since Nov. 18.
NOTES: Price has allowed 11 goals in his last three games. ... Domi's goal was his first since Dec. 18. ... Shane Doan played in his 1,518th game with the Coyotes franchise, tying him with Ray Bourque for fourth-most with one club. ... Since opening the season 19-6-4, Montreal is 12-11-4. ... Coyotes center Martin Hanzal missed the game due to illness. ... Pacioretty set a franchise record for fastest goal when he scored 23 seconds into a game against Pittsburgh last Oct. 18.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Montreal returns home to face St. Louis on Saturday night.
Coyotes: Arizona is home against Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
