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Habs secure Atlantic Division crown

Apr 12, 2015 - 4:42 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Alex Galchenyuk scored the winner in the shootout as the Montreal Canadiens wrapped up the Atlantic Division title with a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

The Canadiens won the division for the second time in the past three seasons and will take on the Ottawa Senators when the playoffs start.

Tomas Plekanec, Jacob De La Rose and David Desharnais all scored for the Canadiens (50-22-10), who won their final three games of the season. Carey Price stopped 19 shots for his franchise-record 44th win of the season.

"We have a lot of confidence in the room and we know what makes us successful," said Montreal forward Lars Eller. "If we can continue doing the things well that we did in the regular season, we have a good chance of being successful going forward."

Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel each posted a goal and an assist and Casey Bailey also scored for the Maple Leafs (30-44-8), who dropped four of their last five to end the season second to last in the Atlantic Division. Jonathan Bernier made 30 saves in the loss.

"You're trying to salvage things at the end here and it wasn't a positive ending," said Toronto head coach Peter Horachek. "It's evident that there has to be alot of change here."

Galchenyuk stick-handled with the disc on Montreal's first chance before snapping in a heavy wrister and Bozak missed the net. Desharnais then blasted a shot past Bernier before Price stopped Joffrey Lupul for the win.

The Maple Leafs got on the board at 3:58 of the first when Kessel's wraparound from the left side snuck in, but the Canadiens needed just 16 seconds to answer.

Bernier played the puck behind his net and chipped it out front to Nazem Kadri, but he was unable to gain control. Desharnais picked up the loose disc in the slot and quickly whipped it in for his 14th of the season.

Toronto went back on top 10 minutes later when Dion Phaneuf threw a shot on net from the right point that Bailey tipped in for his first career goal.

Montreal tied the game once again just 59 seconds into the second as Devante Smith-Pelly skated down the left wing and left a drop pass for Andrei Markov, who one-touched it over to the right where Plekanec one-timed it home for his 26th of the season.

The Maple Leafs, though, went back on top just over four minutes later as James van Riemsdyk chipped the puck out from the left corner to the slot where Bozak one-timed it in for his 23rd of the season and a 3-2 lead.

Another misplay from Bernier allowed the Habs to tie the game with 8.9 seconds left in the second. Bernier had the puck behind his net and tried to wrap it back to the left for Jake Gardiner, who was unable to handle the puck and De La Rose quickly snapped the gift in for his fourth of the season.

Game Notes

Montreal finished the season with 110 points, its most since a 115-point finish in the 1988-89 season ... Toronto finished with its fewest points in a season, excluding the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, since a 68-point effort in the 1996-97 season.