Hurricanes 3 - 4 Canadiens
Final
  for this game

Late PP goal lifts Canadiens over 'Canes

Feb 27, 2011 - 3:30 AM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Montreal made the most of its lone power play opportunity.

Andrei Kostitsyn scored the tiebreaking goal on the man advantage with 3:53 remaining in the third period, and the Canadiens edged the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-3, at the Bell Centre.

Carolina rookie sensation Jeff Skinner went to the penalty box for holding at 14:10. As the power play was winding down, Kostitsyn managed to get his stick on Roman Hamrlik's shot from the left point, deflecting it past Cam Ward.

Michael Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec joined Kostitsyn with a goal and an assist, while Montreal's Alex Auld stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced.

The Canadiens won for just the third time in their last 10 games.

Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu and Cory Stillman tallied for Carolina, which has dropped three of four. Ward made 23 saves in defeat.

"It's a disappointing result for us," said Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice.

Less than a minute after Carolina failed to convert on Scott Gomez's double- minor for a high stick, Jokinen pumped in his 100th career goal to put the Hurricanes on the board.

Jiri Tlusty stole the puck from Auld behind the Montreal net and dished out front to Brandon Sutter, who hit the post before Jokinen lit the lamp 7:25 into the contest.

"I made a mistake in the first, but you've got to bounce back and I was able to respond after that," Auld said.

The Canadiens grabbed a 2-1 lead later in the period on goals from Cammalleri and Lars Eller. A turnover by Skinner led to Cammalleri beating Ward with a wrister from the left circle at 13:48. Eller scored 3:05 later on a one-timer from the slot.

Carolina pulled even when a shot by Chad LaRose ricocheted in off the skate of Ruutu at 2:10 of the second period. Montreal, though, moved ahead 3:03 later as Plekanec fired a wrist shot that beat Ward on the glove side.

Stillman, who helped Carolina win the Stanley Cup in 2006 and was re-acquired from Florida on Thursday, then tied the game at 10:49 of the middle frame, scoring off a pass by Skinner.

Game Notes

Carolina captain Eric Staal missed the game with an upper-body injury...Hamrlik had two assists...The Hurricanes were 0-for-4 on the power play.






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