With the clock ticking down at the end of the third period, Paul Byron and the Canadiens spoiled P.K. Subban’s return to Montreal.
Byron scored the tiebreaking goal with nine seconds left as Montreal edged the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Thursday in Subban’s first game against the Canadiens since they traded him in the summer last year.
Brendan Gallagher tied the game midway through the third period and Carey Price made 24 saves for his 28th victory as Montreal extended their winning streak to four games.
Photo: AFP
“We talked about getting some secondary scoring and we got some tonight,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. “Secondary scoring won us the game. When different people go out and give you those goals, that just makes us that much stronger.”
Ryan Ellis scored for the Predators, with an assist from Subban, before leaving with a lower-body injury.
Pekka Rinne stopped 24 shots in the defeat as Nashville had their four-game winning streak ended.
Byron poked the puck away from Matt Irwin in the neutral zone and chased it down the length of the ice on a breakaway with time running out in the third period. Rinne got his body on the shot, but the puck trickled past him for Byron’s first goal in 14 games.
“I’ve been doing some really good things lately and sometimes the puck just doesn’t bounce your way, and you have to try not to stay frustrated and deviate from your game,” Byron said.
The loss was Nashville’s first in regulation in Montreal since Jan. 15, 2009.
“We sat back a bit in the second,” Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. “In the third, it was an even hockey game. They buried the one chance, but even after that I thought we responded well. We got down into their end and had our chances, and then it was a tough break.”
“It’s a good feeling,” said Gallagher, who had not scored in 11 games. “Everyone knows I haven’t scored many goals this year. There’s definitely a bit of relief. I’m aware I need to produce more and score more goals.”
The Canadiens saluted Subban with a video montage before the puck was dropped. A teary-eyed Subban acknowledged the crowd during a long standing ovation.
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