Maple Leafs 3 - 1 Canadiens
Final
  for this game

Leafs beat Habs; Carlyle's debut a success

Mar 4, 2012 - 3:03 AM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Mikhail Grabovski scored twice in the final eight-plus minutes of regulation as Toronto snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over Montreal at Bell Centre.

Matt Frattin added the other tally for the Maple Leafs, who rallied to win for new head coach Randy Carlyle, hired on Friday after Ron Wilson was fired in the wake of a 1-9-1 stretch.

Jonas Gustavsson stopped 21-of-22 shots.

Erik Cole's first-period goal was all the offense for the Canadiens, who have dropped six of their last seven.

Carey Price played well in defeat, making 39 saves.

Grabovski's high wrister from between the circles with 8:15 left in regulation put the Leafs ahead 2-1.

Despite the one-goal deficit, Price did not leave the bench for an extra skater in the final minute. Cole was whistled for interference with 59 seconds to play and Frattin fed Grabovski for the insurance tally shortly into the advantage.

It was an inauspicious start for the visitors, as Cole lifted a rebound over a diving Gustavsson at the 7:16 mark of the first period.

But Toronto equalized 6 1/2 minutes into the second period. Grabovski won a right-circle draw, then while falling forward pushed the puck to Frattin for a quick one-timer.

Game Notes

Carlyle went 273-182-61 over 516 games with the Ducks from 2005 until this past November 30...Toronto has won three of five meetings against Montreal this season with one final matchup scheduled for the Bell Centre on April 7.






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