Galchenyuk's late goal lifts Canadiens over Islanders 4-2
MONTREAL (AP) Alex Galchenyuk broke a tie with 3:29 left and Max Pacioretty added an empty-net goal to lift the Montreal Canadiens over the New York Islanders 4-2 on Sunday night to complete a weekend home-and-home sweep.
Galchenyuk one-timed a pass from P.K Subban for this third goal of the season during a power play. About 2 minutes later, the Islanders were called for too many men and Travis Hamonic was given a game misconduct penalty, setting up Pacioretty's power-play empty-netter.
David Desharnais also scored on the power play for his seventh goal and Tomas Fleischmann added his seventh this season for Montreal. Carey Price made 21 saves and the Canadiens followed a 5-3 win over the Islanders on Friday night with another victory.
John Tavares gave New York a 1-0 lead late in the first period, and Anders Lee made it 2-1 Islanders with 8:07 left in the third. Thomas Greiss made 23 saves.
The Canadiens lost forward Brendan Gallagher to injury midway through the second period. Gallagher went to the dressing room clutching his left hand and did not return to the game after blocking a slap shot by Johnny Boychuck.
Montreal has now defeated New York in six straight encounters and in nine of the last 10.
On the opening goal by Tavares, Price gave up an uncharacteristically juicy rebound on Hamonic's shot from the point. Winger Kyle Okposo jumped on the puck, circled Price and fed Tavares for an easy tap-in with 1:19 left.
Desharnais scored the equalizer on the power play at the 9:37 of the second. The Canadiens forward got the better of Hamonic during a goal-mouth scramble, connecting on a loose puck in the blue paint.
Fleischmann gave the home team the lead on a great individual play with 5:51 left in the second. With Montreal playing short-handed, Fleischmann stole the puck from Okposo at the blue line and fired home his seventh of the season on the breakaway.
The Canadiens now lead the NHL with five short-handed goals.
As time expired on a penalty to Dale Weise, Lee tied the game 2-2.
Recalled from the AHL's St. John's IceCaps, 22-year-old Sven Andrighetto made his season debut. The speedy forward finished the game with 10:23 of ice time.
NOTES: Montreal forwards Devante Smith-Pelly (lower body) and Torrey Mitchell (lower body) were not in the lineup. ... Price improved to 9-2-0 on the season. The Canadiens netminder is now 11-3-3 career against the Isles.
