Coyotes stalk their first win in regulation
The bottom line: Two power-play goals in the third period were the difference as the Arizona Coyotes came from behind to defeat the Canadiens 5-4 Thursday at the Bell Centre. It was the first regulation win this season for the Coyotes, who improved to 3-15-3. Derek Stepan pulled the Coyotes even at 4-4 when he scored at 4:54 in the third. Christian Fischer gave Arizona its first lead of the game when he scored at 10:10. Charlie Lindgren, who gave up more than two goals for the first time in his ninegame NHL career, got a pad on the shot, but it bounced in the air and went in. The Canadiens thought they had the tying goal with 3:39 to play, but a video review clearly showed Andrew Shaw kicked the puck into the net.
Turning it around: The Canadiens had difficulty moving the puck out of their zone midway through the first period — it didn’t help that Karl Alzner turned the puck over three times on the same shift — but the tide turned in a hurry as Charles Hudon broke out and found Brendan Gallagher as he cut to the net. Gallagher skated across the crease and beat Antti Raanta with a backhander at 10:48. It was Gallagher’s team-leading eighth goal of the season.
Upping the ante: The Canadiens used their speed to create another odd-man rush and Alex Galchenyuk set up Paul Byron for his fifth goal of the season at 13:56. Oliver Ekman-Larsson dropped to the ice in an attempt to block the pass, but Galchenyuk managed to get the puck behind him. Raanta managed to get a piece of Byron’s shot, but the puck trickled into the net.
One that got away: Brad Richardson cut the Montreal lead to 2-1 when he scored on a shot from the blue-line at 4:30 of the second period. You can file this one under shot I’d like to have back because Lindgren was slow to react.
Getting even: The Canadiens did a good job killing two penalties, including a 5-on-3 disadvantage for 30 seconds, but the Coyotes tied the score at 9:37, one second after the expiration of a penalty to Shea Weber. Lindgren made the initial save on a shot by Anthony Duclair, but he left a rebound and Christian Dvorak scored on a backhander.
Back and forth: There was a wild finish to the second period, which saw Montreal take a 3-2 lead, lose it and then go ahead 4-3 with 11 seconds to play. With the score tied 2-2, Lindgren stopped Arizona rookie sensation Clayton Keller on a breakaway and the Canadiens went back down the ice to take a 3-2 lead on Joe Morrow’s shot from the top of the faceoff circle at 15:20. The Coyotes pulled even again when Tobias Rieder scored from close range at 19:09. Montreal regained the lead when Tomas Plekanec won a faceoff against Stepan and got the puck back to Weber, who scored his fourth goal of the season with a blast from the high slot.
Coming attractions: The Canadiens wrap up a six-game homestand with a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday (7 p.m., CBC, TVA Sports, TSN-690 Radio). Next week, the Canadiens are on the road for back-to-back games Tuesday in Dallas and Wednesday in Nashville.