After dropping three straight games on the road, the Montreal Canadiens returned home and used a gutsy shootout effort to get by the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Friday.
Despite the club's recent struggles, the win marks the fourth straight for the Canadiens at the Bell Centre, improving their home record to 16-11-2.
The club showed resilience in climbing back from a 2-1 deficit in the third period to tie the game thanks to captain Max Pacioretty's 21st goal of the season.
The shootout capped off a contest that was uneventful until the final period and an absolutely wild three-on-three overtime frame.
The victory allows the Canadiens a huge sigh of relief after headlines earlier Friday suggested defenseman P.K. Subban was on the trade market. Meanwhile, chatter around the city remained focused on the relationship between Subban and head coach Michel Therrien.
The off-ice distractions appeared to have little impact on the team's leading scorer, who collected two assists to reach 46 points on the season.
#canadiens Max Pacioretty: "PK was probably the best player on the ice tonight." #tvasports
The Canadiens will take the weekend off before welcoming the Nashville Predators to town Monday, when they'll look to push their home winning streak to five games.
GUELPH, Ont. - James McEwan scored twice and Michael Giugovaz made 40 saves as the Guelph Storm beat the Owen Sound Attack 5-3 on Friday night in Ontario Hockey League action.
Isaac Ratcliffe had a goal and two assists, with Jake Bricknell an...
MONTREAL - Paul Byron scored in the fifth round of a shootout as the Montreal Canadiens ended a three-game losing run with a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night.
Dale Weise and Max Pacioretty scored in regulation time for...
NEWARK, N.J. - Casey Cizikas scored a lucky early goal, Jaroslav Halak had 27 saves and the New York Islanders opened a season-long, seven-game trip with a 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.
Halak was outstanding and had a li...
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Chris Driedger stopped 30 shots as the Binghamton Senators held on for a 2-1 win over the St. John's IceCaps on Friday in American Hockey League action.
Chris Carlisle opened the scoring for the Senators (19-28-3) early in ...
The rookie defenseman threaded the needle to Michael Raffl for a tap-in goal against the Montreal Canadiens that extended his point streak to 14 games Friday.
The streak is now tied for the third-longest by a rookie since the 1987-88 season, and it's the longest point streak by a defenseman since Brian Leetch's 14-game run back in 1996.
TORONTO - Antoine Bibeau made 28 saves and the Toronto Marlies scored four times in the third period to come from behind and defeat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-2 on Friday in American Hockey League action.
T.J. Brennan put the Marlie...
With a scrum ensuing after Boone Jenner knocked blue-liner Zach Bogosian into the boards, the netminder quickly joined the festivities, dropping the gloves to fight Jack Johnson before officials intervened.
Robin Lehner wanted a big piece of Jack Johnson. Gotta love a goalie who isn't afraid to mix it up. #Sabrespic.twitter.com/h5zKVDWaVi
The 24-year-old goalie picked up a pair of minor penalties - one for roughing and one for leaving the crease - but all would be forgotten as he made 38 saves on the way to his third career shoutout in a 4-0 win.
"It’s the first time I’ve had a goalie get four penalty minutes and a shutout." -- Sabres coach Dan Bylsma on Robin Lehner.
Bogosian did not return to the game after the hit, which earned Jenner a game misconduct. Fellow Sabres defenseman Cody Franson was also forced out of the game with an injury after being hit from behind by Scott Hartnell - who received a five-minute major for boarding.
Lehner, meanwhile, is on fire of late, allowing just two goals in his last three starts. And being no stranger to fighting, opposing players likely won't want to mess with the Sabres and their Swedish netminder any time soon.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Jamie McGinn scored twice and Robin Lehner stopped 38 shots for his third career shutout to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.
Sam Reinhart and David also scored to help B...
While rumblings out of Montreal seem to have pitted head coach Michel Therrien and defenseman P.K. Subban against one another, the Canadiens faithful have made it clear where their allegiances lie.
The Canadiens were in action Friday for the first time since Therrien called out his star defenseman for a miscue in Wednesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche that led to the game-winning goal. Fans appeared to take Subban's side, serenading the 26-year-old with cheers early in the first period.
Subban would pick up a pair of assists on goals by Dale Weise and Max Pacioretty to surpass the 40-assist mark, joining Ottawa Senators blue-liner Erik Karlsson as the only defensemen in the league to reach that territory (Karlsson has 54 helpers).