Saturday, Jan. 27 1:30pm ET
Canadiens come through on power play
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MONTREAL (AP) -- It took nearly five years for the Canadiens to
send the Washington Capitals away from Montreal with their
shoulders slumped.
Sheldon Souray and Chad Kilger scored 1:47 apart midway through
the third period as Montreal beat Washington 4-2 Saturday for the
Canadiens' first win in their last 10 home games against the
Capitals.
|  | | Montreal's Chad Kilger celebrates his third-period goal with Saku Koivu (11) and Sheldon Souray. |
"We were aware that we haven't won a lot of games against those
guys, either in Washington, or here," Montreal captain Saku Koivu
said. "We've had a lot of problems against them so it's a good
win."
Souray scored his second goal of the season on a wrist shot
directly off a faceoff 7:54 into the third, just 27 seconds after
Washington's Steve Konowalchuk had scored his 15th to tie the game
at 2-2.
Kilger, who assisted on Koivu's power-play goal in the first,
added his 10th goal at 9:41 as the Canadiens ended a four-game
losing streak against the Capitals.
"We were a little disappointed to come back to 2-2," Kilger
said. "We came right back at them with Sheldon's goal and it was a
huge confidence builder to come back and get a two-goal lead."
Montreal's last home victory against Washington was a 5-3
decision on Jan. 31, 1996.
"This team has been tough for us for a long time," Koivu said.
"Hopefully it's a good boost for us, confidence-wise. We showed
that we can beat one of the top teams in the league."
Trevor Linden had two assists as he returned to the Canadiens'
lineup after missing 12 games with a broken foot. Koivu and Oleg
Petrov also had two points each for Montreal.
"It gives depth for our offensive lines," Koivu said. "When
you have two lines, it makes it easier for everybody."
Capitals forward Adam Oates' goal 2:43 into the second period
was his 1,240th career point, moving him ahead of Peter Stastny
into 23rd place on the NHL career list.
Stastny "was a fantastic hockey player, too," Oates said.
"I've been very lucky. I knew he was there and it feels great."
Koivu scored his seventh goal 19:13 into the first. After Koivu
won a faceoff in the Capitals' zone, Kilger passed the puck back to
Patrice Brisebois at the point. Brisebois returned the puck to
Koivu, who put a shot from the faceoff circle between goalie Olaf
Kolzig's legs. The Canadiens outshot Washington 14-3 in the period.
"We had a really strong first period," Koivu said. "We could
have scored a couple of goals there so it's a good thing we got one
at the end."
After Oates' goal, Petrov restored Montreal's lead with his
eighth goal on a power play at 13:47, just two seconds after the
Canadiens had enjoyed a two-man advantage for 13 seconds.
"The power play's been a little problem," Koivu said. "We
haven't been able to score a lot of goals, but it was working
today. I think the difference was we just kept it simple and threw
the puck at the net."
Konowalchuk quieted the crowd of 20,349 when he cut off Sergei
Gonchar's point shot and reached around Montreal goalie Jose
Theodore to tie the game at 2-2, 7:27 into the third.
"Whenever you tie it 2-2 in the third period, you think you're
going to get a point, or the momentum should change," Konowalchuk
said. "You've got to give them credit, they bounced right back and
got another quick one and put us right back on our heels."
Game notes
Mario Tremblay was the Canadiens' coach and Jim Schoenfeld
was behind the Capitals' bench the last time Montreal beat
Washington at home. ... Washington beat Montreal 4-3 at home on
Nov. 17, in the first of four meetings between the two teams this
season. ... Washington was the only team other than expansion clubs
Columbus and Minnesota that the Canadiens had never defeated at the
Molson Centre.
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NHL Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
Montreal Clubhouse
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Philadelphia 4
Carolina 3
Montreal 4
Washington 2
Minnesota 4
Los Angeles 1
Boston 4
New Jersey 3
Buffalo 2
NY Islanders 1
Toronto 3
NY Rangers 1
Columbus 2
Anaheim 1
Florida 3
Tampa Bay 2
Pittsburgh 5
Atlanta 1
Colorado 5
Nashville 1
San Jose 4
St. Louis 3
Vancouver 5
Calgary 3
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