Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Mike Cammalleri notched the winning score in the shootout as Montreal blew a two-goal third-period lead but rebounded to top Toronto, 5-4, at Bell Centre.
Leafs’ Comeback Falls Short in 5-4 OT Loss to Montreal
Cammalleri began the shootout by wristing a shot just under the crossbar. Lee Stempniak failed for Toronto then Scott Gomez put the Habs two up after a shot in a similar place as Cammalleri's. Tomas Kaberle's last-ditch effort for the Leafs was stopped to end the contest.
Glen Metropolit, Guillaume Latendresse, Hal Gill and Roman Hamrlik notched a goal apiece for the Canadiens, who had dropped their previous two contests.
Jaroslav Halak made 26 stops to post his fifth win of the season.
Alexei Ponikarovsky tallied twice for the Maple Leafs, who fell for the fourth consecutive time beyond regulation and finished the first month of the season with a 1-7-4 record.
Kaberle recorded a goal and three assists while Stempniak also scored in regulation. Vesa Toskala stopped 35 shots in the loss for Toronto, which suffered through its first one-win October since 1985.
Following a scoreless and spirited opening 20 minutes, the Leafs notched the game’s first goal on a power play early in the second.
Kaberle wound up from the right point, and while his initial shot was kicked out by Halak, Ponikarovsky controlled the rebound and scored inside the left post at 1:12.
Montreal responded on a fluke play at 2:27 as Metropolit scored after chasing down a loose puck along the goal line to the right of the Toronto net and firing a shot that hit the top of Toskala’s stick and fell in.
Latendresse put the Habs up by one with a rebound score with 7:36 left in the second, and a little over two minutes later Gill made it 3-1.
Only 24 seconds after that, Toronto got back within one on a power-play score from Stempniak.
Hamrlik touched a bouncing puck as it fluttered by Toskala for a 4-2 Canadiens edge at 9:50 of the third period. The score was key as Ponikarovsky pulled the Leafs within one again with only 3:28 left in regulation.
Toskala went to the bench for an extra skater with over a minute to play and Toronto tied it seconds later when Kaberle’s knuckler from the right side hit a Habs defenseman and rolled past Halak.
Montreal has won both games this season and three in a row over Toronto...The Leafs had won the previous two contests in Montreal, both at the end of last season...Mikhail Grabovski picked up three assists for the Leafs, and Tomas Plekanec posted a pair of helpers for the Canadiens...Toronto opened the 1990-91 season with a 2-10-1 October.
-- Recap via Sports Network
See More:
