Pacioretty, Galchenyuk fuel Canadiens past Devils
NEWARK, N.J. -- The captain came to the rescue Monday night and, thus, the Montreal Canadiens rallied for a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.
Montreal captain Max Pacorietty scored twice in the third period, including the game-tying tally with 53 seconds left in regulation. Alex Galchenyuk's power-play goal 2:54 into the extra session served as the winner for the Canadiens (34-21-8).
It was the second straight game in which the Devils (25-25-12) let a third-period lead evaporate into an overtime loss on home ice. New Jersey saw the same scenario in a 4-3 defeat Saturday against the New York Rangers.
A ho-hum defensive affair through 40 minutes with the Devils leading 1-0 on Kyle Palmieri's 19th goal late in the first period picked up in the third. The teams combined for five goals, with New Jersey holding its lead until the final minute of the period.
Defenseman John Moore beat Canadiens goalie Al Montoya with a slap shot 2:38 into the third, upping the Devils lead to 2-0. Montreal answered on the very next shift when Alexander Radulov's long-range snap shot eluded Devils goalie Cory Schneider at 2:49.
New Jersey again went up by a pair when Travis Zajac jammed home his 13th goal, on a rebound of a Palmieri shot, at 7:54.
Once again, however, the Canadiens had a quick reply when Pacorietty sniped a right-wing shot into the cage at 8:37.
Pacorietty's 31st goal of the season, this one with Montoya on the bench for an extra attacker, capped the Montreal comeback.
NOTES: Devils C Jacob Josefson played only three shifts in the first period before leaving the game with an upper-body injury. ... Shortly before the game, the Canadiens acquired D Jordie Benn from the Dallas Stars in exchange for D Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL draft. ... Benn did not join the team in time to play Monday. ... The Canadiens scratched C Brian Flynn and RW Michael McCarron, while the Devils scratched RW P.A. Parenteau (finger), D Kyle Quincey and D Seth Helgeson. ... The Devils placed C Pavel Zacha (concussion) on injured reserve and recalled C Blake Coleman from Albany of the American Hockey League.