Canadian Press
12/2/2006 10:17:23 PM
MONTREAL (CP) - Saku Koivu scored twice in the third period and again in a shootout as the Montreal Canadiens earned a 4-3 comeback victory over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Sheldon Souray scored the winner after Koivu and Leafs captain Mats Sundin exchanged shootout goals. Souray faked a slapshot, moved to the forehand and beat Leafs goaltender Andrew Raycroft.
Toronto's Kyle Wellwood had the final shot and put it over the Montreal net.
After Wellwood gave Toronto a 3-1 led with a power play goal 2:21 into the third period, Koivu scored twice in a 5:07 span to tie the game with 4:36 left to play to force overtime and the shootout.
Sundin and Ian White also scored for slumping Toronto (13-10-5), which is winless in four straight games. The Canadiens (15-7-3), beaten 4-2 in Carolina on Thursday, have not lost consecutive games this season.
Alexander Perezhogin had the other goal for Montreal.
The Bell Centre sellout crowd of 21,273 had its usual competing chants from fans of both of the storied rivals.
Toronto played a solid skating game and outshot Montreal 36-21 in regulation and 39-22 overall.
But after Wellwood's goal, Koivu had the building in a roar as he took the puck from a faceoff and jammed it in to cut the lead to one with 8:43 left to play.
After White was sent off for shooting the puck over the glass, Koivu redirected a feed from Alex Kovalev to the top corner to tie the game and force overtime.
Montreal lost defenceman Craig Rivet late in the second period after he was struck on the right wrist or arm by a wrist shot and did not return.
The Canadiens didn't skate in the first period, a bad idea against a hungry opponent, and the Leafs scored twice.
No one picked up trailer White on a rush and the Leafs defenceman was in the slot to fire a Michael Peca pass into an open side 9:56 into the game.
FULL STORY
12/2/2006 10:17:23 PM
MONTREAL (CP) - Saku Koivu scored twice in the third period and again in a shootout as the Montreal Canadiens earned a 4-3 comeback victory over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Sheldon Souray scored the winner after Koivu and Leafs captain Mats Sundin exchanged shootout goals. Souray faked a slapshot, moved to the forehand and beat Leafs goaltender Andrew Raycroft.
Toronto's Kyle Wellwood had the final shot and put it over the Montreal net.
After Wellwood gave Toronto a 3-1 led with a power play goal 2:21 into the third period, Koivu scored twice in a 5:07 span to tie the game with 4:36 left to play to force overtime and the shootout.
Sundin and Ian White also scored for slumping Toronto (13-10-5), which is winless in four straight games. The Canadiens (15-7-3), beaten 4-2 in Carolina on Thursday, have not lost consecutive games this season.
Alexander Perezhogin had the other goal for Montreal.
The Bell Centre sellout crowd of 21,273 had its usual competing chants from fans of both of the storied rivals.
Toronto played a solid skating game and outshot Montreal 36-21 in regulation and 39-22 overall.
But after Wellwood's goal, Koivu had the building in a roar as he took the puck from a faceoff and jammed it in to cut the lead to one with 8:43 left to play.
After White was sent off for shooting the puck over the glass, Koivu redirected a feed from Alex Kovalev to the top corner to tie the game and force overtime.
Montreal lost defenceman Craig Rivet late in the second period after he was struck on the right wrist or arm by a wrist shot and did not return.
The Canadiens didn't skate in the first period, a bad idea against a hungry opponent, and the Leafs scored twice.
No one picked up trailer White on a rush and the Leafs defenceman was in the slot to fire a Michael Peca pass into an open side 9:56 into the game.
FULL STORY
