Canadiens 3, Blue Jackets 2
Max Pacioretty and defenseman P.K. Subban combined for three power-play goals in a 3:53 span of the third period as Montreal rallied to extend its road winning streak to six games.
Pacioretty began the outburst by extending his goal-scoring streak to five games and finished it with 4:37 remaining in the third, redirecting Tomas Plekanec's feed past All-Star Sergei Bobrovsky from the slot. Defenseman Andrei Markov notched two assists and All-Star Carey Price made 14 saves for the Canadiens, who hadn't won six straight on the road since capturing eight in a row from Jan. 21-Feb. 21, 1982.
Ryan Johansen scored to extend his point streak to a franchise-record 11 games as the Blue Jackets fell to 0-2-0 on their three-game homestand by dropping their third straight overall. Blue-liner Kevin Connauton also tallied and Bobrovsky turned aside 28 shots.
The Blue Jackets got on the board early as Jeremy Morin set up Connauton for a one-timer from the left point that got past a screened Price 3:31 into the contest. After a scoreless middle session, Columbus doubled its lead on the power play midway through the third as Johansen beat Price high on the short side from the left faceoff dot.
The Canadiens halved the deficit less than two minutes later, when Pacioretty buried a turnaround shot from the inner edge of the left circle during a man advantage. Subban forged a tie with 5:36 remaining, beating Bobrovsky with a one-timer from the left point for his fourth power-play goal.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Montreal believed it had tied the game at 1-1 with 5:01 left in the first period, when Plekanec's shot from the right faceoff circle was deflected by RW Brendan Gallagher, but video review determined the puck did not completely cross the goal line. ... Canadiens RW PA Parenteau returned to the lineup after missing three games with a concussion and registered one shot in 12:22 of ice time. ... Columbus LW Nick Foligno was named as one of the team captains in the All-Star Game, which will be hosted by the Blue Jackets later this month. Chicago's Jonathan Toews was selected as the other captain. ... Montreal was 1-for-21 on the power play in its previous seven games and failed on four opportunities over the first two periods before converting three straight chances in the third.