HABS’ LOSE FIRST FORAY INTO OT
Sens’ Turris scores winning goal
The skinny: The Canadiens went to overtime for the first time this season and Kyle Turris scored after 34 seconds to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-1 win over the Canadiens Tuesday night at the Bell Centre. Turris ended a goaltending duel between Mike Condon and Ottawa’s Craig Anderson. With the overtime loss, the Canadiens opened a ninepoint lead over Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division. Anderson made 36 saves for the Senators, while Condon made 25 and fell to 4-0-1 on the season.
Mixed success on the PP: The Canadiens had two power plays in the second period and found themselves tied 1-1. Jean-Gabriel Pageau opened the scoring at 3:10 when he blocked a shot by P.K. Subban, took off on a breakaway and beat Condon through his pads for a short-handed goal. The Canadiens had more success on an ensuing power play when Alex Galchenyuk took a cross-ice pass from Andrei Markov and found Dale Weise in front of the net at 6:13. It was Weise’s seventh goal of the season, tying Max Pacioretty for the team lead.
Galley gets in the way: There were no goals in the first period but the Canadiens thought they had the lead when Tomas Plekanec beat Craig Anderson through the fivehole at 14:24. Referee Garrett Rank waved it off, ruling that Brendan Gallagher was in the crease and made incidental contact with the goalie. Michel Therrien challenged, the call but it was upheld in the war room in Toronto. Condon had the best stop of the period, robbing Cody Ceci with a glove save on a 2-on-1 break.
Ottawa loses challenge: Senators coach Dave Cameron launched a challenge when referee Chris Lee disallowed a goal by Alex Chiasson during a third-period power play. Lee ruled that Condon stopped a drive by Erik Karlsson had blown before Alex Chiasson knocked the loose puck through Condon’s pads at 4:55. The video review confirmed the call.
Ice time for Pateryn: Defenceman Greg Pateryn, who has been a healthy scratch for 14 games, will finally get a chance Wednesday night — but it will be in WilkesBarre, Pa. Pateryn has been sent to the St. John’s Ice Caps for a two-week conditioning assignment. The moves means Jarred Tinordi is the team’s lone spare defenceman
Gaining some respect: A month ago, the oddsmakers at bodog.ca had the Canadiens listed as an 18-1 shot to win the Stanley Cup. In the latest odds released Tuesday, the Canadiens and the Chicago Blackhawks are the co-favourites at 9-1. Carey Price, who is currently on the injured list, is a 4-1 favourite to win a second consecutive Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.
Coming up: There will be a familiar figure backstopping the New York Islanders when they visit the Bell Centre Thursday (7:30 p.m., CITYMontreal, RDS, TSN-690 Radio). Former Canadien Jaroslav Halak has a 4-1-1 record after the Islanders edged New Jersey 2-1 Tuesday night. The Canadiens’ four-game homestand ends Saturday