Jeff Petry scored his second goal of the game in the final minute of the third period and Sam Montembeault made 24 saves as the Montreal Canadiens beat the playoff-bound New York Rangers 4-3 on Wednesday to snap a nine-game winning streak. consecutive losses.
Petry scored his sixth of the season with 31 seconds remaining to put Montreal ahead for the fourth time and forge a victory for Martin St. Louis, the former Ranger who took over behind the Canadiens’ bench in early February as coach for first time in Madison. Square garden.
“We stopped the bleeding tonight, that’s for sure. It feels good,” said St. Louis, who helped the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014 after he was acquired from Tampa Bay in a late trade. it’s from the season. “I was kidding because I’ve beat every team I’ve played on: I’ve beat Calgary in Calgary, I’ve beat Tampa there and now I’ve beat New York… I wish I’d played on more teams.”
Ryan Reaves, Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome scored for the Rangers, and Barclay Goodrow had two assists to set a career-high 20 assists. Alexandar Georgiev finished with 20 saves.
“No one was hurt. That was key tonight,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “We played pretty well overall and got through the game.”
CLOCK | Petry leads Canadiens to a close victory over Rangers:
Montreal beats New York 4-3 to end a nine-game losing streak. Jeff Petry scores twice, including the game-winner with 31 seconds left in regulation. 0:59
The Rangers trailed 2-1 after two periods before Vatrano tied it at 4:15 of the third. The 28-year-old forward, who played in his 400th NHL game, earned his 18th of the season and eighth since he arrived in a trade from Florida on March 16.
Hoffman scored with just under eight minutes left to give the Canadiens a 3-2 lead for his 14th of the season.
Strome tied the contest for the third time with a shorthand goal with 3:19 remaining, his 21st of the season and Rangers’ eighth shorthand goal this season.
The Rangers rested seven regulars, including leading scorer Chris Kreider and points leader Artemi Panarin one night after losing at home to first-place Carolina, ensuring New York would finish second in the Metropolitan Division.
Poehling opened the scoring with 1:15 left in the first with his ninth goal of the season. Michael Pezzetta and William Lagesson attended.
Reaves tied it at 4:14 of the second for his fifth of the season. Patrik Nemeth and Kevin Rooney had assists.
The Canadiens, in last place, managed just five shots in the second, but went ahead on Petry’s goal with nine seconds left in the period.
“I’m on my game when I’m skating, catching the puck and moving my feet,” said Petry, 34, a 12-year NHL veteran with Edmonton and Montreal. “It’s taken a long time to find that and build from that for next year.”
The Rangers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and will open at home early next week against either Pittsburgh or Washington in the first round.
“For sure we feel good with our group. We had a really good year,” Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere said. “We’re excited to play some playoff hockey.”
Reference-www.cbc.ca