Canadiens 3, Devils 2 (SO)
NEWARK, N.J. -- Right winger Sven Andrighetto scored the deciding goal during a shootout to help the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night at the Prudential Center.
The Canadiens, who won their fourth straight and lead the NHL with 38 points, erased a third-period deficit.
The teams will conclude a home-and-home series in Montreal on Saturday.
Andrighetto and center Alex Galchenyuk scored the Canadiens. Montreal goaltender Mike Condon stopped 25 shots.
Center Adam Henrique scored his 11th goal of the season and right winger Lee Stempniak added his fifth for the Devils.
New Jersey goaltender Cory Schneider stopped 25 shots but was beaten twice during five rounds of the shootout.
The game was scoreless after one period but could have been 1-0 Montreal if not for an outstanding save by Schneider.
Left winger Max Pacioretty carried the puck on a two-on-one rush and executed a perfect pass across the ice to center Tomas Plekanec. Schneider pushed across and made a lunging glove save on Plekanec with 3:32 remaining in the period.
Henrique put the Devils ahead 1-0 at 1:09 of the second period. Defenseman John Moore and Henrique worked a give-and-go during an odd-man attack that concluded with Henrique one-timing a puck through Condon for his 11th goal of the season.
Stempniak increased the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 9:06. The Devils whipped the puck around the attacking zone at will before left winger Mike Cammalleri hit Stempniak at the doorstep for a goal that was nearly denied the Condon's right leg.
Andrighetto's second goal of the season pulled the Canadiens to within 2-1 with 4:43 remaining in the period. A breakdown resulted in an uncovered Andrighetto accepting a pass from center Lars Eller and beating Schneider to the glove side.
Galechenyuk tied it at 2 with a breakaway goal at 11:14 of the third period. He took a pass from Pacioretty in the defensive zone, exploded past Devils defensemen Adam Larsson and Andy Greene and beat Schneider with a backhand move for his fifth goal of the season.
NOTES: Canadiens G Carey Price (lower body) is out at least one week after suffering an injury on Wednesday in New York against the Rangers. G Dustin Tokarski was recalled from the AHL to take Price's roster spot. ... Other Canadiens out with injuries include RW Brendan Gallagher (fingers), RW Alexander Semin (lower body) and center Torrey Mitchell (lower body). ... Canadiens D Alexei Emelin was a healthy scratch. ... Devils RW Tyler Kennedy played his first game of the season after signing a one-year contract on Friday. ... The Devils were without LW Tuomo Ruutu (foot), D David Schlemko (lower body) and LW Jiri Tlusty (upper body).