Panthers 2, Canadiens 1
Scottie Upshall scored the game winner early in the third period and Jacob Markstrom stopped 40 shots for his second career NHL win as the Florida Panthers edged the scuffling Montreal Canadiens 2-1 Monday night at the Bell Centre.
Upshall's first goal as a Panther put Florida in front 5:02 into the third, as he redirected a Dmitry Kulikov wrist shot from the point underneath the left arm of Montreal netminder Peter Budaj.
Montreal pressed for the equalizer with just over two minutes left, but Markstrom stopped three attempts from in close before freezing the puck. The Canadiens put on the pressure again in the final minute but couldn't convert.
The Canadiens remain winless at home for the season (0-3-2) and have lost six straight games overall, their longest such streak since February 2007.
Erik Cole opened the scoring with his first goal for Montreal 3:08 into the game. A shot from Max Pacioretty glanced off Cole's leg and eluded Markstrom.
Florida evened things with just over four minutes left in the frame. In a scramble in front of the Montreal net, Tomas Fleischmann flailed at the puck and it trickled just past Budaj and over the goal line.