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Plekanec, Canadiens destroy Senators

Jan 22, 2011 - 4:48 AM Ottawa, ON (Sports Network) - Tomas Plekanec scored twice as the Montreal Canadiens dominated the Ottawa Senators, 7-1, at Scotiabank Place.

Andrei Kostitsyn and Max Pacioretty each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who moved a point ahead of the Rangers for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. Brian Gionta, P.K. Subban and Benoit Pouliot all lit the lamp.

Carey Price stopped 33 shots in the win for Montreal, which has taken three of its last four games.

Chris Kelly was the lone scorer for the lowly Senators, who have dropped five straight and 11 of their last 12. Mike Brodeur allowed four goals on 15 shots before being pulled in the second period. Brian Elliott stopped 17-of-20 shots the rest of the way.

"We had two turnovers that led to goals and the third and fourth goal killed us," said Ottawa head coach Cory Coulston. "We had nothing going from that point on. We have to start from scratch if we want to get things going."

Montreal got the scoring started just 1:53 into the game when Pouliot was sprung on a breakaway by Mathieu Darche and he snapped a wrister into the right corner.

A turnover deep at the left side of the Ottawa zone was caused by Kostitsyn, who sent a quick pass to the slot where Plekanec slapped it home less than two minutes later.

Ottawa cut its deficit in half at the 9:20 mark of the first. Off a right circle faceoff win, Zack Smith sent a pass from the slot over to the left circle for Chris Campoli, who snapped it back over to the right where Kelly had an easy tap in.

The Habs took control of the contest in the second with a three-goal frame.

The first came just 72 seconds in to make it a 3-1 game. Pacioretty had the puck along the boards at the left side and sent it down low. Scott Gomez received the puck to the left of the net and immediately flung it out front where Gionta slid it home.

Just over four minutes later and skating on the power play, it was a 4-1 game when Pacioretty's simple shot from the low left circle squeezed past Brodeur, who was replaced in net by Elliott after the goal.

Plekanec completed the burst with 8:33 to play in the frame when he buried a wrist shot on a breakaway for his 16th goal of the season.

Kostitsyn scored just over two minutes into the third, while Subban notched a goal on the power play with 7:17 to play to cap the rout.

Game Notes

Montreal hosts the Ducks on Saturday...The Habs have taken four of the five games with the Sens this season. The final game of the series will take place on April 7 in Ottawa...Ottawa hosts Buffalo on Tuesday...Montreal was 2-for-3 on the power play, while Ottawa went 0-for-3.