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Canadiens ride strong first period to top Sharks

Mar 1, 2009 - 3:47 AM MONTREAL (Ticker) -- All-Star defenseman Andrei Markov and captain Saku Koivu recorded a goal and an assist apiece as the Montreal Canadiens scored three times in the first period and held on for a 3-2 triumph over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Blue-liner Josh Gorges also scored and Jaroslav Halak turned aside 44 shots for Montreal, which secured its fourth win in a row since a 3-11-1 stretch in its previous 15 games.

"It was a great weekend for us, four points from two tough teams in two tough games," Koivu said of his team, which recorded a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday.

"These are the types of games we need right now to gain some confidence."

Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau also noted his team's growing confidence as a positive sign.

"When we were on our losing streak, I don't think it was that people were not working, I think maybe some were trying to do too much," Carbonneau said. "Maybe a guy going 1-on-1 instead of maybe putting the puck in an area where another guy could get it.

"I think now were playing with more confidence and Jaroslav is giving us a chance to win. He looked solid and everybody is trying. I've always said it that we have a good group together for the last three years. We can get better and they stick together especially in tough times."

Joe Pavelski and All-Star Joe Thornton scored 49 seconds apart in the second period and Brian Boucher finished with 18 saves for San Jose, which fell to 5-2-0 in its last seven contests.

"It seemed we probably should have won, but that's hockey," Thornton said. "Sometimes when you get 40-some odd shots and they get 15, you just don't win. For some reason, that's hockey, that's life."

"I don't know, the puck was there all night, we had what 46 shots," Pavelski said. "(Halak) had a heck of a game, I guess. We can't let that happen, we have to get to him."

Markov opened the scoring with 8:55 remaining in the first period after unleashing a blast from the point past Boucher for his ninth goal of the season.

Gorges doubled the advantage just 2:22 later after tapping in a centering feed from Matt D'Agostini for his third tally of the campaign.

Koivu gave Montreal a 3-0 lead after accepting a feed from Markov and beating Boucher with 2:13 remaining in the session.

Pavelski put San Jose on the scoreboard 66 seconds into the second period after tucking the puck past Halak and Thornton tallied shortly thereafter by beating Halak under the crossbar for his 16th goal of the season.

Halak and the Canadiens held firm in the third to preserve the victory.

"He played another outstanding game, especially the last couple of minutes and made some key saves," Koivu said of Halak. "We faced a really good team tonight and I don't think we played our best. ... (Jaroslav) made some saves to help us to get the two points."

"It's always tough when they play a lot in our zone, especially when they played almost a period in our end," Markov said. "But we had a good third period and having the two points was great for us."