Canadiens 1, Islanders 0 (OT)
Max Pacioretty scored 1:51 into overtime and Carey Price made 21 saves for his 21st career shutout as visiting Montreal extended New York's slump.
David Desharnais forced a turnover and circled from behind the Islanders' net before finding an oncoming Pacioretty. The Connecticut native poked the puck past Evgeni Nabokov for his fourth game-winning goal of the season as the Canadiens moved to 10-2-1 in their last 13.
Price recorded his second shutout of the season to improve to 7-2-3 lifetime against New York. The Canadiens snapped a two-game losing streak despite scoring only one goal in their last 10 periods before Pacioretty's game-winner.
Nabokov, making his first start since suffering a groin injury on Nov. 16, turned aside 24 shots but it wasn't enough to prevent the Islanders from tumbling to their 12th defeat in 13 games (1-9-3). Nabokov fell to 7-4-0 in his career against Montreal.
Each team had 12 shots apiece over the final two periods while New York failed on three chances with the man advantage in its first game home following a five-game road trip.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Canadiens F George Parros was knocked woozy during an early first-period brawl with New York's Eric Boulton and did not return. ... Islanders rookie F Ryan Strome, who was leading the American Hockey League in scoring when he was recalled earlier this week, logged 14:42 of ice time in his NHL debut. ... The Canadiens went 0-for-2 on the power play and have come up empty on 15 straight chances with the extra skater in their last six games.