Canadiens 2 - 5 Coyotes
Final
  for this game

Vrbata scores twice as Coyotes defeat Canadiens

Mar 7, 2014 - 7:27 AM Glendale, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Radim Vrbata scored two goals to help Phoenix beat Montreal, 5-2, snapping the Coyotes' 14-game winless streak against the Canadiens.

Shane Doan and Oliver Ekman-Larsson both had a goal and one assist for the Coyotes, who notched their first victory over Montreal since Dec. 9, 1998. The Canadiens had won nine straight and 11 of the previous 14 meetings, with the other three ending in ties.

"We talked about coming out like we did in the first and I think we did a pretty good job in the third," Ekman-Larsson said.

Mike Smith picked up the win with 24 saves, including 11 in a second period that was dominated by Montreal.

Andrei Markov and Alex Galchenyuk had the goals for Montreal, which lost in Thomas Vanek's debut with the club.

"Before we got going, we were in trouble, so we had to play catch up hockey and it's never the solution to win hockey games," Montreal head coach Michel Therrien said.

The Canadiens made a splash before Wednesday's trade deadline, acquiring Vanek from the New York Islanders, but he was held to one shot as his new team fell to 1-2-0 on its road trip.

Peter Budaj allowed five goals on 23 shots in defeat.

Phoenix, ahead 3-1 after 20 minutes, managed only one shot in the second period, but continued to possess the lead thanks to Smith's play between the pipes.

The lone shot that got by him was redirected by Galchenyuk on a 5-on-3 power play with 5:07 remaining.

The Coyotes at one point were whistled for five consecutive penalties, four of which came in the second.

After killing an early Montreal power play in the third period, the Coyotes went up 4-2 at 11:43 on Vrbata's second goal.

Phoenix went to work on a power play shortly thereafter and Doan got his stick on Keith Yandle's point shot to make it 5-2 at 13:28.

Vrbata opened the scoring as he tipped David Schlemko's point shot 2:08 into the contest.

The Canadiens tied the game when Markov fired a slap shot in off the right post at 7:13, but Phoenix moved back ahead on another deflection, this one by Lauri Korpikoski on a power play with 4:56 left.

Ekman-Larsson beat Budaj on a wrister from the high slot with nine seconds remaining in the opening frame.

Game Notes

Ekman-Larsson's goal was his 100th career point ... Montreal concludes its trip Saturday at San Jose.






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