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Habs slip past Panthers

Mar 18, 2015 - 5:15 AM Sunrise, FL (SportsNetwork.com) -Dustin Tokarski stopped 41 shots to lead the Montreal Canadiens in a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers.

Jacob De La Rose had a goal and an assist while Alexei Emelin and P.K. Subban also scored for the Canadiens, who had lost three of four coming in.

"There's always going to be tough games where you have to grind them out, and we did that tonight," said Tokarski.

Aleksander Barkov and Brandon Pirri each scored for the Panthers, who have dropped their past two. Dan Ellis made 22 saves in the loss.

All the goals in this game came in the second period, and Florida got it started when Barkov swept in a loose puck in the slot at 4:20.

Montreal got the goal back 1:24 later when Emelin's blast from the left point went through a screen and in for his third goal of the year.

It was 2-1 in Montreal's favor when the team notched its sixth short-handed goal of the season. Brandon Prust caught up to the puck along the left wing in the Florida end and quickly whipped it to the right, where De La Rose had an open net at 8:23.

The Panthers tied the game with 6:25 to play in the frame when Brad Boyes sent a pass from the right boards to the inside right circle, where Pirri snapped it in for his 16th of the year.

Montreal, though, went back on top with 4:34 left in the second, as Subban's heavy shot from the left wing went through several bodies and in for a 3-2 lead.

Game Notes

Montreal hosts Carolina on Thursday ... Florida hosts Detroit on Thursday ... Neither side scored on the power play, as Florida had four chances and Montreal three ... Prust finished with two assists.