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Ducks blow third-period lead, beat Habs in SO

Jan 23, 2011 - 4:54 AM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Bobby Ryan scored the lone goal of the shootout as Anaheim blew a two-goal third-period lead but rebounded to top Montreal, 4-3, at Bell Centre.

Ryan ended the second round by scoring on a low forehander inside the left post. Brian Gionta could have kept the home team alive, but his shot from the right post was smothered by Jonas Hiller to end the game.

"We had a tough time in Toronto, so it was nice to get one early and then that shootout goal as well," Ryan admitted. "Jonas stood on his head in the shootout, won another big game for us tonight. We're lucky to have him."

Ryan also tallied in regulation as did Cam Fowler and Corey Perry for the Ducks, who have won six of their last eight contests. Hiller won with 37 stops.

Saku Koivu returned to Montreal for the first time since leaving as a free agent to Anaheim in 2009, and recorded an assist but committed a late penalty which led to the Habs' tying tally.

"This one was one of the toughest games to go through. The atmosphere is very unique," Koivu said about his first game back in the city he called home for almost a decade and a half. "Players enjoy playing here and the excitement is really something. The whole first period, I didn't feel well. I got my legs back as the game went on. They scored two goals at the end, but we still won."

Max Pacioretty scored a pair for the Canadiens, who rallied to tie the game with two scores in the final 3:40 of regulation but lost for the second time in three games.

Mathieu Darche also lit the lamp and Carey Price only stopped 23 shots in defeat.

Anaheim took a 1-0 lead on the power play with 4:53 left in the first as a left-point blast from Fowler bounced off two Canadien sticks and got by Price.

Montreal evened the score on the advantage at 7:55 of the second, when Pacioretty jammed the puck past Hiller at the right post, but Ryan backhanded a loose puck home from in close with 3:34 to go in the period.

It was 3-1 for Anaheim on another power play with 17 seconds left, as Perry tipped in a Koivu one-timer.

Darche pulled the Habs within a goal at 3-2 with 3:40 left in regulation on a tip-in from the slot. Then, with Price on the bench for an extra skater and Koivu in the box for tripping, Pacioretty tallied with 13 seconds to play.

Each team had a pair of quality chances in overtime go by the wayside.

"It was our fourth game this week, we played last night in Ottawa, while they had the night off," offered Habs head coach Jacques Martin about his team's slow start. "I think we got better as the game went on. We took over late in the second a nd in the third, we outshot them and got our two late-game goals. In the shootout their goalie was one shot better."

Game Notes

Anaheim has won four of the last five meetings over Montreal since December, 2005, and has won three in a row at the Bell Centre...Koivu posted 191 goals and 641 points with the Habs from 1995-2009 and was team captain from 1999 until his departure...He won the 2002 Masterton Trophy after returning from lymphoma diagnosed prior to the 2001-02 season.