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Pacioretty scores twice as Canadiens top Leafs

Dec 1, 2013 - 4:10 AM Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) - Max Pacioretty scored two special-teams goals and Carey Price made 12 of his 34 saves in a spotless third period, lifting the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Pacioretty had one shorthanded goal and one on the power play and P.K. Subban and Tomas Plekanec also scored for the Canadiens, who bounced back from a loss to Washington in a shootout on Friday to win for the fifth time in six games.

Montreal and Toronto were both 14-9-3 entering the game.

"Before the game they were even with us but we have to prove a lot against them, especially after the first game this season (a 4-3 Toronto win)," said Pacioretty.

"It's a good feeling that everyone contributed tonight."

James van Riemsdyk and Mason Raymond had goals 22 seconds apart in the second period but Toronto failed to score again in its fourth straight loss and went 0-3 on a three-game road trip.

Jonathan Bernier gave up four goals on 39 shots and the Maple Leafs went winless on the road in November (0-4-3). They had a three-game road winning streak against Montreal snapped.

"I thought it was a hard-fought game," said van Riemsdyk. "There were times we didn't play as well as we could have. Those were the times that cost us the game."

The teams combined for four goals during a 3:27 span in the second period that saw the Maple Leafs cut a 4-0 deficit in half with goals separated by 22 seconds.

Plekanec scored on a wrister from the right circle at 15:05, and Pacioretty beat Bernier through the legs with a backhand despite being fronted by Carl Gunnarsson for a shorthanded goal at the 17:22 mark.

Van Riemsdyk's 12th goal of the season was a beauty. From Price's right, he chipped a sharp-angle, up-close shot over the goaltender's near shoulder and into the top of the net.

Raymond also scored from Price's right on a rebound off David Clarkson's long shot, pulling the Maple Leafs within 4-2 with 1:28 left in the second period.

Earlier, Pacioretty banged in his own rebound on a power play after Bernier made a left pad save, giving the Canadiens a 1-0 lead just 58 seconds into the game, and Subban made it 2-0 at the 16:13 mark.

Toronto had a goal waived off because van Riemsdyk was ruled to have been in the crease on Dion Phaneuf's shot.

"It was the ref's call," said van Riemsdyk. "He explained it all to me ... that's his decision. I don't necessarily agree with it but that's the way it goes."

Game Notes

Montreal's George Parros and Toronto's Colton Orr fought in the first period. In the teams' season-opener on Oct. 1, Parros suffered a concussion and was taken off the ice on a stretcher after he fell face-first onto the ice when Orr pulled him down at the end of a fight ... Pacioretty also had an assist ... The Canadiens haven't lost in regulation since Nov. 16 to the New York Rangers ... The Maple Leafs will play the Sharks at home on Tuesday ... The Canadiens remain home to play New Jersey on Monday.