Kovalev gives Canadiens shootout win over Blues

Hockey Betting Lines

11/16/2008 - St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Kovalev scored the lone goal of the shootout and Andrei Kostitsyn had a goal and an assist in regulation as the Montreal Canadiens edged the St. Louis Blues, 3-2, at Scottrade Center.

Robert Lang also tallied, while Carey Price was solid between the pipes, stopping 24-of-26 shots for Montreal, which had dropped four of its previous five.

The Canadiens won despite going scoreless in 10 chances with a man advantage.

Steve Regier accounted for both St. Louis goals, the first two of his NHL career. The 24-year-old Regier, who was recalled from the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Peoria, was playing in only his 19th career NHL contest. His previous 18 games were with the New York Islanders.

Manny Legace made 24 saves for the Blues, who have lost nine of their last 11 games.

After the first five shooters were unsuccessful in the shootout, Kovalev skated straight in on Legace, faked the forehand shot, then put the backhander past the netminder to the glove side just under the crossbar to give the Canadiens the two points.

With the game deadlocked at 1-1 after two periods, the Blues surged in front on the power play at 3:24 of the third. With Chris Higgins in the box serving a hooking minor, David Perron brought the puck down the right wing boards and from the low right circle, sent a cross-ice pass to Regier, who redirected the puck past Price from in close to put the hosts in front 2-1.

Lang managed to tie the contest off a Blues turnover with 4:12 left in regulation. After a failed clearing attempt by St. Louis, Kostitsyn got the puck to Lang, who was standing in front of Legace on the right side. The veteran center had his initial shot stopped by a great toe save, but as Legace attempted to grab the disc with his glove, Lang batted it home to even things at 2-2.

Each team had a brief power-play chance late in regulation, but neither was able to light the lamp and the game went into overtime. In the extra session, despite both teams having several quality chances, there was no scoring and it went to the shootout.

St. Louis opened the scoring 3:48 into the first. Cam Janssen gathered the puck off a left circle faceoff in the Canadiens zone, worked his way to the middle slot and fired a wrist shot toward the net that was deflected home by a screening Regier to give the Blues the early edge.

The score remained 1-0 until late in the second stanza. On a great individual effort, Kostitsyn skated the puck the length of the ice down the right side and backhanded a shot from the low left circle that surprised Legace, beating the netminder between the pads to tie things with 1:55 left in the second.

Despite giving up the equalizer, Legace was busy, stopping 11-of-12 shots in the second frame, while Price turned aside all seven shots faced.

Game Notes

Montreal will play at Carolina on Tuesday night, while St. Louis hosts Anaheim on Friday...Blues center Andy McDonald left early in the first period with a lower body injury and did not return...Canadiens defenseman Francis Bouillon was hit by a slap shot near his face in overtime and skated directly to the locker room to receive medical attention...Despite the setback, St. Louis has taken five of eight and six of its last 11 meetings with the Canadiens... The Blues went 1-for-9 on the power play.

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