Canadiens win fifth straight

Shea Weber’s power-play goal with 2:57 remaining lifted the Montreal Canadiens to their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.

Paul Byron and Phillip Danault also scored to help Montreal improve to 6-0-1 and remain the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss. Al Montoya, who played for the Islanders from 201012, stopped 26 shots in his first start since Oct. 18 as the Canadiens beat New York for the seventh straight time.

John Tavares and Dennis Seidenberg scored for New York and Thomas Greiss had 26 saves in his second straight start and third of the season.

With the Islanders’ Nick Leddy off for slashing, Weber fired a shot from the point for the tiebreaking goal. It was just the second power-play goal in 23 opportunities given up by New York’s leagueleading penalty-killing unit.

Danault gave the Canadiens a 2-1 lead with 8:39 remaining. He deflected the rebound of a shot by Torrey Mitchell past Greiss for his second of the season and sixth of his career.

Seidenberg tied it with 5:44 to go with a one-timer from above the right faceoff circle.

Andrew Shaw had a breakaway for Montreal less than a minute later but fired his shot wide of the net.

Montreal came out more aggressive in the second period and outshot New York 12-5. The Canadiens took a 10 lead early in the middle period as Brendan Gallagher’s wrister from the right side was stopped by Greiss, but the rebound went past New York defenceman Travis Hamonic in front and Byron fired it in at 3:10.

Tavares tied it for the Islanders with 4:47 left in the second on a power play with Lehkonen off for highsticking.