New York Rangers' Artemi Panarin (10) celebrates with teammate Vincent Trocheck (16) after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during second period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, January 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
MONTREAL – Samuel Montembeault made 45 saves before stopping three shootout attempts as the Montreal Canadiens held off the New York Rangers to win 4-3 on Saturday night.
Montrembeault made a sprawling save off a one-handed shootout move by Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad to bring the home crowd to its feet on an electric evening at Bell Centre. The 45 saves are the fourth-highest total of his career.
Cole Caufield scored the shootout winner for the Canadiens, who blew a 3-0 second-period lead but managed to edge the Rangers.
Brendan Gallagher, Sean Monahan, Joel Armia scored in regulation for Montreal (17-17-5).
Vincent Trocheck and Panarin had a goal and an assist each, while Adam Fox also scored for New York (26-10-2). Jonathan Quick made 28 saves.
New York, which entered the night with the NHL’s top power play (30.1 per cent), went 0-for-3 against Montreal’s second-worst penalty kill (72.1 per cent). The Canadiens were 0-for-1 with the man-advantage.
Montembeault started the game strong and made several big saves during New York’s first power play midway through the first period to keep the high-flying Rangers – who dominated the shots 14-7 in the opening frame – off the board early.
Gallagher then picked the top right corner while holding off Rangers forward Blake Wheeler to open the scoring at 11:37. It was Gallagher’s first goal in 25 games, and his sixth of the season.
Monahan doubled Montreal’s lead and broke a 10-game drought 1:09 into the second with a shot that bounced off Rangers’ defenceman Ryan Lindgren and into the back of the net.
Armia beat Quick between the legs 1:30 later to make it 3-0 off nine Canadiens shots and brought the home crowd to its feet.
New York finally got on the board at 10:28 with a Trocheck tip past Montembeault off a point shot from Erik Gustafsson.
Trocheck then pulled off a nifty set play by tipping the puck between Mitchell Stephens’ legs during an offensive zone draw and setting up Panarin, who buried his 25th of the campaign to make it 3-2 at 14:29.
Panarin entered the game tied for third in league scoring. He has 55 points in 38 games this season.
Fox made it 3-3 at 9:30 of the third period with a point shot through traffic moments after Canadiens’ forwards Cole Caufield and Armia missed the net on golden scoring opportunities from the slot.
Jake Evans and Mike Matheson added to Montreal’s chances in the ensuing minutes with shots that hit the post.
Monahan had another chance to beat Quick at the end of regulation but the Rangers netminder turned away the last-second shot.
Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere had a Grade A chance to end the game in overtime off a feed from Mika Zibanejad, but Montembeault shut the door. The Canadiens netminder stood tall again on shots from Zibanejad and Jacob Trouba with the clock ticking down on the extra period before playing hero in the shootout.
STREAK SNAPPED
New York forward Chris Kreider saw a career-high eight-game point streak come to an end. The 32-year-old American had four goals and seven assists over that stretch. He has 20 goals and 15 assists in 38 games this season.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.
Rangers: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2024.
