Brendan Gallagher scored and added an assist, leading the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-2 win over the host Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
Cole Caufield, Patrik Laine, Josh Anderson and Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for the Canadiens, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the fourth time in 12 games.
Captain Nick Suzuki added a pair of helpers and Sam Montembeault, fresh off representing Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, made 25 saves in the victory.
Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist and Jake Sanderson also scored for the Senators, who have lost four straight.
Linus Ullmark allowed five goals on 15 shots before being replaced by Anton Forsberg with 8:28 remaining in the second. Forsberg stopped all 10 shots he faced.
Montreal jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, scoring twice in a two-minute span in the first.
Gallagher opened the scoring 2:28 into the first, snapping a shot blocker side past Ullmark.
Caufield doubled Montreal’s lead at 4:28, putting home the rebound off Arber Xhekaj’s point shot for his team-leading 27th of the season.
Sanderson got Ottawa on the board at 13:20 on a power play, putting a wrist shot from the point past a screened Montembeault.
Stutzle tied it 2-2 at 15:54, beating Montembeault on a partial break for his 18th of the season. The Sens forward has points in nine straight games (three goals, 10 assists).
Montreal took a 3-2 lead 19 seconds later on a power play as Laine one-timed a Lane Hutson pass under Ullmark’s arm for his 13th of the season and first in 11 games.
Anderson restored the Canadiens’ two-goal lead at 5:14 of the middle frame, putting home the rebound off Gallagher’s shot.
Slafkovsky gave Montreal a 5-2 lead at 11:32, one-timing a Suzuki pass five-hole past Ullmark, ending the starter’s night.
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, who suited up for Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, missed his first game due to an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.
Saturday was the second of four meetings. The Senators visit Montreal on March 18 before concluding the season series on April 11 in Ottawa.
–Field Level Media
