Max Pacioretty’s overtime goal capped a three-goal rally and sent the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over fierce rivals the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
The win allows the Canadiens to leapfrog the Bruins in the Northeast Division.
The Bruins led 2-0 on two second period goals by Patrice Bergeron, until Scott Gomez scored a lucky goal with a weak shot with 2 minutes, 22 seconds remaining in the game that appeared to rebound off a defender’s leg before sliding past goalkeeper Tim Thomas.
“He [Thomas] was playing so well and then I scored on that shot,” Gomez said. “I wasn’t actually trying to shoot. I was trying to pass the puck to [Mathieu] Darche and it went through.”
Brian Gionta leveled the score for Montreal with 48 seconds left, redirecting a cross into the net with his skate.
Montreal’s Mathieu Darche batted a puck past Thomas with a high stick with 12 minutes, 03 seconds remaining in the third period, but the goal was disallowed following a video review.
The call sparked the Canadiens as they dominated the third period, outshooting Boston 18-8.
“They dominated us for two periods, but I thought we worked hard in the third,” Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin said. “The scoring chances were 9-3 for them after two periods, but it was 13-11 for us at the end of the game.”
RED WINGS 2, CANUCKS 1
In Vancouver, Jiri Hudler scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Detroit Red Wings a win over the Vancouver Canucks in the clash of the top two teams in the NHL.
Johan Franzen tied it for Detroit on a power-play breakaway in the first minute of the third period, as the Red Wings went on to end the Canucks’ eight-game winning streak.
Despite the loss Vancouver remained atop the NHL standings with 60 points, one more than Detroit and three ahead of Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia.
Daniel Sedin scored a second-period, power-play goal for the Canucks, who haven’t lost in regulation in 16 games (13-0-3).
WILD 4, PENGUINS 0
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Minnesota Wild extended their unlikely hex over Pittsburgh by winning 4-0 against a Penguins team missing Sidney Crosby.
Stand-in goaltender Jose Theodore made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season, while Chuck Kobasew, Martin Havlat, Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Brodziak scored for the Wild, who are on a season-high four-game winning streak.
Theodore has an impressive 19-4-3 record against Pittsburgh. He has started each game of the Minnesota winning streak because usual starter Nicklas Backstrom is out with a groin injury. Theodore has allowed only two goals in three games.
The Wild are 9-2-1 against the Penguins and have never allowed more than two goals in a game.
Crosby missed his second straight game — both Penguins losses — because of a concussion.
In Saturday’s other action, it was:
‧ Rangers 2, Blues 1
‧ Predators 2, Sharks 1
‧ Lightning 2, Senators 1
‧ Capitals 3, Panthers 2
‧ Kings 6, Blue Jackets 4
‧ Sabres 2, Coyotes 1, OT
‧ Flyers 2, Devils 1
‧ Islanders 4, Avalanche 3, OT
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