Galchenyuk scores in OT, Canadiens top Senators 3-2
MONTREAL (AP) Alex Galchenyuk scored on a spin-around shot 3:40 into overtime, leading Montreal to a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Friday night that gave the Canadiens a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Max Pacioretty, back from a concussion, and P.K. Subban scored in regulation for the Canadiens, while David Desharnais picked up an assist on each.
”It’s great to get an OT goal,” Galchenyuk said. ”It’s always nice to get one, but I don’t sit around and think about that. Time will tell when you can rate those kinds of goals.”
Clarke MacArthur and Patrick Wiercioch scored for the Senators, and Mark Stone added two assists despite limited mobility in his right wrist from a slash by Subban in the series opener Wednesday night.
Pacioretty returned to the lineup for the Canadians after sitting out Game 1 with the head injury he suffered near the end of the regular season.
Carey Price stopped 29 shots for Montreal, while Ottawa’s Andrew Hammond made 37 saves.
Game 3 is Sunday in Ottawa.
The Senators came out hitting, throwing 21 checks in the first period alone, and got the lead. Stone was in on the opening goal with a pass on a rush during which MacArthur beat Price with a dipping shot from the slot at 18:42.
The Canadiens adjusted to the Senators’ forechecking and turned the tables in the second, outshooting Ottawa 14-3, and taking the lead.
Pacioretty was parked in front to take a pass from David Desharnais and beat Hammond with low shot between the pads on a power play at 7:18.
Subban, who wasn’t suspended by the NHL for his slash on Stone, took a pass from Devante Smith-Pelly and blasted a shot past Hammond at 16:30.
”I think of myself as a player who steps up in big games and makes a difference,” Subban said. ”I always felt that the more pressure people put on me, the better I’ll play. I wanted to be better tonight for my teammates.”
Stone made the pass again as Wiercioch went to the net and got a shot between Price’s pads on a power play at 13:25 of the third.
NOTES: Senators tough guy Chris Neil was on hand in case Stone couldn’t play. … Montreal’s P.A. Parenteau sat out with an upper-body injury.
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