Canadiens take down Blue Jackets in OT
MONTREAL -- Alex Galchenyuk scored on a power play at 3:53 of overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.
Max Pacioretty thought he'd ended it just over a minute into overtime when his shot on a breakaway appeared to cross the goal line but it was waved off, a call that stood after a lengthy review.
Carey Price made 26 saves for the Canadiens (35-21-8) while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 29 shots for Columbus (39-16-6).
The Canadiens had a couple chances early thanks to back-to-back penalties on Markus Hannikainen. Montreal tossed six shots on Bobrovsky on their first opportunity but couldn't get any by him, and struggled to generate any offense on the second.
Despite playing a night earlier, Montreal had energy in the middle frame, include one of its best opportunities early on. Artturi Lehkonen found Galchenyuk in the right circle but the center just missed the net.
Boone Jenner came within inches of breaking the scoreless draw later in the period when he beat Price but hit the crossbar.
Moments later, Montreal had another glorious chance as Lehkonen drove up the left side on a 2-on-0 break with Brendan Gallagher but Bobrovsky denied the rookie Finn.
Lehkonen and Gallagher came close as they wreaked havoc in a scramble in front of the net later in the frame and shortly thereafter the Blue Jackets had a chance down at the other end.
A power play to start the third period offered nothing for the Canadiens, who later had chances from Pacioretty and Phillip Danault on multiple shifts.
NOTES: D Jordie Benn, acquired Monday from the Dallas Stars, made his Canadiens debut. ... W/C Brian Flynn and RW/C Michael McCarron drew back in after being scratched against the Devils, leaving C David Desharnais, RW Sven Andrighetto and D Nikita Nesterov as the scratches. ... Columbus C William Karlsson missed the game with illness while D Dalton Prout was scratched. ... Montreal announced during the first intermission that C David Desharnais was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for D Brandon Davidson.