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Halak, Canadiens look for more success against Sharks

Feb 28, 2009 - 11:15 AM San Jose (42-9-9) at Montreal (33-22-7), 7:00 p.m. EST

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- All-Star Carey Price is no longer the undisputed starting goaltender for Montreal. At this point, the Canadiens are forced to stick with the hot hand.

Coming off a thrilling victory, Jaroslav Halak and Montreal look to extend their winning streak to four games when they host the Western Conference-leading San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Veteran defenseman Mathieu Schneider scored a power-play goal with 99 seconds remaining in the extra session Friday to lift Montreal to a 4-3 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers.

All-Star Alexei Kovalev recorded a goal and two assists, Tomas Plekanec scored and set up another and Tom Kostopoulos also tallied as the Canadiens scored three times in a 2:04 span late in the first period to erase a 2-0 deficit.

Coming off a 3-0 shutout of Vancouver on Tuesday, Halak made 35 saves in his third straight start in place of the ineffective Price. The 21-year-old Price has yielded 20 goals in his last four starts.

San Jose, meanwhile, edged the Ottawa Senators, 2-1, on Thursday.

The Sharks, who have won five of six, are 16-7-6 on the road this season.