Markov's two goals help Canadiens past Senators
MONTREAL -- Andrei Markov scored two goals to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.
Shea Weber also scored for the Canadiens (42-24-9), which moved three points ahead of the Senators atop the Atlantic Division.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for Ottawa.
Carey Price made 31 saves for Montreal. Craig Anderson, playing in his 500th NHL game, stopped 21 shots for the Senators (41-25-8).
Weber got the scoring started on the power play at 9:28 of the first period. After whiffing on a shot earlier in the man advantage, Weber took a feed from Markov at the point and blasted his patented slap shot past a screened Anderson.
Markov made it 2-0 just 1:13 into the second period. Max Pacioretty, along the right boards, sent a perfect cross-ice dish to the veteran blue-liner, who showed patience coming in from the point before firing from the top of the left circle.
The 38-year-old scored his second of the night nearly five minutes later when Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson, in a battle in the corner, sent a backhander out to the slot to a waiting Markov, who wasted no time sending it to the net. It was Markov's first two-goal game since Jan. 11, 2014.
Pageau got the Senators on the board at 12:11 of the second period. Mike Hoffman kept the puck in at the left point and skated to his right before dishing a backhand feed to Pageau at the top of the left circle. It was Pageau's seventh goal in 14 career games against Montreal.
Ottawa took control in the third period, putting up the first five shots and the Canadiens had none.
Two consecutive power plays for the visitors opened the door, but the Senators couldn't generate much. The Canadiens enjoyed two short-handed opportunities before Alexandre Burrows had a chance for a tap-in, only to hit the post and see an out-of-position Price stretch out for an impressive save.
NOTES: Montreal made two changes to its lineup, with D Nathan Beaulieu and LW Dwight King drawing in for D Brandon Davidson and LW Andreas Martinsen, respectively. ... Canadiens C Steve Ott was also a healthy scratch. ... Senators RW Mark Stone returned after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. ... Ottawa LW Viktor Stalberg was scratched with an upper-body injury. C Christopher DiDomenico and D Jyrki Jokipakka were healthy scratches.