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Grabovski rallies Maple Leafs past Canadiens

Oct 23, 2011 - 3:42 AM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Mikhail Grabovski tied the game late in regulation and won it 1:23 into overtime, as the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied past the Montreal Canadiens, 5-4, in a battle between Northeast Division rivals.

Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who are off to a 5-1-1 start. David Steckel also lit the lamp.

James Reimer stopped 9-of-10 shots in the first period before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury. Jonas Gustavsson turned aside 15-of-18 shots in relief.

Travis Moen and Andrei Kostitsyn had a goal and an assist apiece for the Canadiens, who lost their fifth straight game for the first time since a five- game slide two seasons ago from December 10-17, 2009. Michael Cammalleri and Josh Gorges also scored.

Carey Price turned aside 22-of-27 shots in defeat. He remains stuck on 99 career wins.

"There were a lot of good things tonight," Cammalleri said. "We would've liked to get two points against them."

Down 4-3, the Maple Leafs tied the game with 6:53 to play in regulation. Grabovski lit the lamp following a scramble for the puck in front of the net.

Grabovski's goal 1:23 into overtime was spectacular. John-Michael Liles, positioned in the middle of the right circle, slid a pass to the side of the net. Grabovski gathered the puck with his back to the net and made a great spinning move before putting the disc into the net for the win.

"It feels good to score against my old team," Grabovski said. "My family was here from Toronto so I was glad to get the winning goal."

The intensity and pace of the game was high from the start. Just 1:15 into the game, Reimer stopped a shot from the point. Montreal's Brian Gionta came flying across the crease and bumped into Reimer, who lost his mask on the play. Gionta was sent to the penalty box for goaltender interference.

An injured Reimer stayed in the game, and he quickly saw more action. Toronto turned the puck over in the Montreal zone, which led to short-handed rush by the Canadiens. Lars Eller passed to Moen, who got past a pair of defenders for a breakaway. Moen was able to backhand the puck into the net before crashing into Reimer at the 1:51 mark.

The Maple Leafs tied the game at 7:07, as Jake Gardiner's blast from the right point was deflected in by Steckel.

Gustavsson took over for Reimer in the second and gave up a goal just 29 seconds in. Kostitsyn gathered a loose puck at the left circle and wristed a shot off the post and in for a 2-1 Montreal lead.

Less than a minute later, Kessel stole the puck away from a Montreal player in front of Price. Kessel then quickly beat Price with a wrister to make it 2-2.

Toronto added a power-play goal at the 4:19 mark to take a 3-2 lead. Phaneuf's one-timer from the top of the right circle beat Price.

Playing in his 500th NHL game, Cammalleri scored 1:27 into the third period to make it 3-3. His slapper from the top of the left circle beat Gustavsson.

Gorges gave the Canadiens a 4-3 lead at the 9:28 mark. After Price made an amazing save, Gorges beat Gustavsson at the other end with a wrister from the top of the left circle.

Game Notes

The Maple Leafs won 2-0 against Montreal on October 6...Montreal forward Scott Gomez missed the game with an upper-body injury.