GAME THREAD: NHL: TORONTO (14-18) at MONTREAL (15-16)

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
TORONTO 0 0 0
MONTREAL 1 2 3 END OF THE 2ND

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: MON - SAKU KOIVU 6 (CHRIS HIGGINS, SERGEI KOSTITSYN) 9:03
2ND PRD: MON - SAKU KOIVU 7 (CHRIS HIGGINS, FRANCIS BOUILLON) 3:09
MON - ANDREI KOSTITSYN 6 (MIKE KOMISAREK, ALEXEI KOVALEV)
11:17

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
TOR 13 11 24
MON 6 8 14

GOALIES: TOR - VESA TOSKALA
MON - CAREY PRICE</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------------
Toronto 0 0 --0
Montreal 1 2 --3
------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Saku Koivu 6 (Chris Higgins,
Sergei Kostitsyn), 9:03. Penalties: R Hamrlik, Mon (interference),
0:52; M Stajan, Tor (interference), 5:13.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Montreal, Saku Koivu 7 (Chris Higgins,
Francis Bouillon), 3:09. 3, Montreal, Andrei Kostitsyn 6 (Mike
Komisarek, Alexei Kovalev), 11:17. Penalties: T Plekanec, Mon
(holding), 8:36; S Koivu, Mon (hooking), 16:53.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------
Toronto 13 11 --24
Montreal 6 8 --14
----------------------------------

Goalies : Toronto, Vesa Toskala (14 shots, 11 saves). Montreal, Carey
Price (24 shots, 24 saves). Referees: Ian Walsh, Kerry Fraser.
Linesmen: Michel Cormier, Vaughan Rody.</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 0
MONTREAL 3 19:55 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 0
MONTREAL 3 15:37 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 0
MONTREAL 3 11:48 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 0
MONTREAL 4
3RD PRD: MON - ALEXEI KOVALEV 14 (ANDREI KOSTITSYN, TOMAS PLEKANEC)
8:32</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 0
MONTREAL 4 10:19 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 0
MONTREAL 4 7:35 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 1
MONTREAL 4
3RD PRD: TOR - BOYD DEVEREAUX 5 (ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY, NIK ANTROPOV)
15:54</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 1
MONTREAL 4 3:31 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL TORONTO 1
MONTREAL 4 1:59 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
TORONTO 0 0 1 1
MONTREAL 1 2 1 4 FINAL

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: MON - SAKU KOIVU 6 (CHRIS HIGGINS, SERGEI KOSTITSYN) 9:03
2ND PRD: MON - SAKU KOIVU 7 (CHRIS HIGGINS, FRANCIS BOUILLON) 3:09
MON - ANDREI KOSTITSYN 6 (MIKE KOMISAREK, ALEXEI KOVALEV)
11:17
3RD PRD: MON - ALEXEI KOVALEV 14 (ANDREI KOSTITSYN, TOMAS PLEKANEC)
8:32
TOR - BOYD DEVEREAUX 5 (ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY, NIK ANTROPOV)
15:54

POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: TOR - 0 OF 3, MON - 0 OF 3.

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
TOR 13 11 5 29
MON 6 8 11 25

GOALIES: TOR - VESA TOSKALA
MON - CAREY PRICE

OFFICIALS: REF - IAN WALSH, KERRY FRASER
LIN - MICHEL CORMIER, VAUGHAN RODY

ATT: 21,273</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
Toronto 0 0 1 --1
Montreal 1 2 1 --4
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Saku Koivu 6 (Chris Higgins,
Sergei Kostitsyn), 9:03. Penalties: R Hamrlik, Mon (interference),
0:52; M Stajan, Tor (interference), 5:13.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Montreal, Saku Koivu 7 (Chris Higgins,
Francis Bouillon), 3:09. 3, Montreal, Andrei Kostitsyn 6 (Mike
Komisarek, Alexei Kovalev), 11:17. Penalties: T Plekanec, Mon
(holding), 8:36; S Koivu, Mon (hooking), 16:53.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Montreal, Alexei Kovalev 14 (Andrei
Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec), 8:32. 5, Toronto, Boyd Devereaux 5 (Alexei
Ponikarovsky, Nik Antropov), 15:54. Penalties: B Devereaux, Tor
(hooking), 13:32; N Antropov, Tor (holding), 17:35.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Toronto 13 11 5 --29
Montreal 6 8 11 --25
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Toronto - 0 of 3, Montreal - 0 of 3. Goalies :
Toronto, Vesa Toskala (25 shots, 21 saves; record: 12-10-3). Montreal,
Carey Price (29 shots, 28 saves; record: 9-5-2). A: 21,273. Referees:
Ian Walsh, Kerry Fraser. Linesmen: Michel Cormier, Vaughan Rody.</div>

 

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- Leave it to captain Saku Koivu to end theMontreal Canadiens' troubles at home.


Koivu scored a pair of goals and Christopher Higgins added twoassists as the Canadiens halted a six-game home losing streakwith a 4-1 triumph Saturday over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Andrei Kostitsyn scored a goal and set up another and brotherSergei recorded his first career point for Montreal, which haddropped five of seven overall.


Koivu opened the scoring just over nine minutes into the firstperiod with his sixth goal of the season. After carrying downthe left side, the captain circled around the net and unleasheda backhander from the right faceoff circle that deflected offdefenseman Hal Gill's stick and past goaltender Vesa Toskala at9:03.


Sergei Kostitsyn notched an assist on the play for his firstpoint in two career contests.


Just 3:09 into the middle session, Koivu completed his secondmulti-goal performance of the campaign. From the left circle,Higgins passed to Koivu, who moved to his left while alone onthe doorstep and deposited the puck into an open net for a 2-0lead.


Koivu also tallied twice in the season opener against Carolinaon October 3.


With 8:43 remaining in the period, defenseman Mike Komisarekfired a rising wrist shot that glanced off the glove of AndreiKostitsyn in the slot and into the net for a three-goal bulge.

The tally was Andrei Kostitsyn's sixth of the season and thirdin four games.


Alexei Kovalev padded the lead 8 1/2 minutes into the finalperiod. On a 2-on-1 rush, the Russian fired a shot from theleft circle that was stopped by Toskala.


But the rebound caromed off defenseman Tomas Kaberle and intothe net at 8:32, giving Kovalev his team-leading 14th goal andMontreal a 4-0 cushion.


Maple Leafs blue-liner Bryan McCabe suffered an apparent leftwrist injury behind the play and skated directly to the lockerroom. He did not return.


Boyd Devereaux spoiled rookie Carey Price's shutout bid at 15:54with his fifth tally of the season.


Kovalev added an assist and Price made 28 saves for theCanadiens.


Toskala turned aside 21 shots but had his string of sevenconsecutive games with less than three goals allowed stopped forToronto, which fell to 1-1-0 on its season-high seven-game roadtrip.

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
TORONTO 1
MONTREAL 4</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
Toronto 0 0 1 --1
Montreal 1 2 1 --4
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Saku Koivu 6 (Chris Higgins,
Siarhei Kastsitsyn), 9:03. Penalties: R Hamrlik, Mon (interference),
0:52; M Stajan, Tor (interference), 5:13.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Montreal, Saku Koivu 7 (Chris Higgins,
Francis Bouillon), 3:09. 3, Montreal, Andrei Kostitsyn 6 (Mike
Komisarek, Alexei Kovalev), 11:17. Penalties: T Plekanec, Mon
(holding), 8:36; S Koivu, Mon (hooking), 16:53.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Montreal, Alexei Kovalev 14 (Andrei
Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec), 8:32. 5, Toronto, Boyd Devereaux 5 (Alexei
Ponikarovsky, Nik Antropov), 15:54. Penalties: B Devereaux, Tor
(hooking), 13:32; N Antropov, Tor (holding stick), 17:35.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Toronto 13 11 5 --29
Montreal 6 8 11 --25
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Toronto - 0 of 3, Montreal - 0 of 3. Goalies :
Toronto, Vesa Toskala (25 shots, 21 saves; record: 12-10-3). Montreal,
Carey Price (29 shots, 28 saves; record: 9-5-2). A: 21,273. Referees:
Ian Walsh, Kerry Fraser. Linesmen: Michel Cormier, Vaughan Rody.</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
TORONTO 0 0 1 --1
MONTREAL 1 2 1 --4
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Saku Koivu 6 (Chris Higgins,
Siarhei Kastsitsyn), 9:03. Penalties: R Hamrlik, Mon (interference),
0:52; M Stajan, Tor (interference), 5:13.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Montreal, Saku Koivu 7 (Chris Higgins,
Francis Bouillon), 3:09. 3, Montreal, Andrei Kostitsyn 6 (Mike
Komisarek, Alexei Kovalev), 11:17. Penalties: T Plekanec, Mon
(holding), 8:36; S Koivu, Mon (hooking), 16:53.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Montreal, Alexei Kovalev 14 (Andrei
Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec), 8:32. 5, Toronto, Boyd Devereaux 5 (Alexei
Ponikarovsky, Nik Antropov), 15:54. Penalties: B Devereaux, Tor
(hooking), 13:32; N Antropov, Tor (holding stick), 17:35.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
TORONTO 13 11 5 --29
MONTREAL 6 8 11 --25
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: TOR - 0 of 3, MON - 0 of 3. Goalies : Toronto,
Vesa Toskala (25 shots, 21 saves; record: 12-10-3). Montreal, Carey
Price (29 shots, 28 saves; record: 9-5-2). A: 21,273. Referees: Ian
Walsh, Kerry Fraser. Linesmen: Michel Cormier, Vaughan Rody.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

TORONTO MONTREAL
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
A Steen 0 0 -1 4 S Koivu 2 0 +2 4
M Sundin 0 0 -3 2 T Plekanec 0 1 +1 1
M Stajan 0 0 even 1 R O'Byrne 0 0 +1 0
T Kaberle 0 0 -1 0 C Higgins 0 2 +2 6
D Tucker 0 0 -1 3 M Dandenault 0 0 even 0
C Kilger 0 0 even 1 J Gorges 0 0 +1 1
B Devereaux 1 0 +1 2 M Lapierre 0 0 even 1
A Ponikarovsky 0 1 -1 2 A Kovalev 1 1 +2 1
B McCabe 0 0 -1 2 K Chipchura 0 0 even 1
H Gill 0 0 -2 2 M Streit 0 0 even 1
W Belak 0 0 -1 0 R Hamrlik 0 0 even 2
P Kubina 0 0 -1 2 A Kostitsyn 1 1 +1 2
K Wellwood 0 0 even 0 F Bouillon 0 1 +1 3
J Blake 0 0 even 4 T Kostopoulos 0 0 even 0
A Wozniewski 0 0 even 0 M Ryder 0 0 even 2
I White 0 0 -1 1 S Kastsitsyn 0 1 +1 0
N Antropov 0 1 -3 3 A Markov 0 0 +2 0
M Bell 0 0 even 0 M Komisarek 0 1 +1 0
J Pohl HEALTHY P Brisebois SHOULDER
S Begin SHOULDER
G Latendresse LOWER BODY INJURY</div>

 

NHL: TORONTO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
TORONTO 1
MONTREAL 4</div>

 

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- Leave it to captain Saku Koivu to end theMontreal Canadiens' troubles at home.


Koivu scored a pair of goals and Christopher Higgins added twoassists as the Canadiens halted a six-game home losing streakwith a 4-1 triumph Saturday over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Andrei Kostitsyn scored a goal and set up another and brotherSergei recorded his first career point for Montreal, which haddropped five of seven overall.


"Finally, we played the way we did on the road at home," Higginssaid. "We played a simple, hard game, very effective, and weexecuted all of our plays. So it was a happy locker room."

Koivu opened the scoring just over nine minutes into the firstperiod with his sixth goal of the season. After carrying downthe left side, the captain circled around the net and unleasheda backhander from the right faceoff circle that deflected offdefenseman Hal Gill's stick and past goaltender Vesa Toskala at9:03.


The tally ended a 12-game drought for Koivu.


"When you do get that goal, it's a big relief," the Finn said."But right now, it was more important about getting the win onhome ice."


Sergei Kostitsyn notched an assist on the play for his firstpoint in two career contests.


Just 3:09 into the middle session, Koivu completed his secondmulti-goal performance of the campaign. From the left circle,Higgins passed to Koivu, who moved to his left while alone onthe doorstep and deposited the puck into an open net for a 2-0lead.


Koivu also tallied twice in the season opener against Carolinaon October 3.


"I thought we played really well for 60 minutes," Koivu said."Tight, defensive hockey, and when you play good, defensivehockey, you're going to get some chances to score."

With 8:43 remaining in the period, defenseman Mike Komisarekfired a rising wrist shot that glanced off the glove of AndreiKostitsyn in the slot and into the net for a three-goal bulge.

The tally was Andrei Kostitsyn's sixth of the season and thirdin four games.


Alexei Kovalev padded the lead 8 1/2 minutes into the finalperiod. On a 2-on-1 rush, the Russian fired a shot from theleft circle that was stopped by Toskala.


But the rebound caromed off defenseman Tomas Kaberle and intothe net at 8:32, giving Kovalev his team-leading 14th goal andMontreal a 4-0 cushion.


Maple Leafs blue-liner Bryan McCabe suffered a broken left handbehind the play and skated directly to the locker room. Heexpects to miss six to eight weeks.


"When you see a man down like that, it's not nice," Kaberlesaid. "We're going to miss him for a while, but someone willhave to step up."


Boyd Devereaux spoiled rookie Carey Price's shutout bid at 15:54with his fifth tally of the season.


"We should have learned in the first 10 minutes of the game,when they set back four guys and held the blue line," Toronto'sJason Blake said. "For some reason, we didn't see it or didn'twant to do it. I just don't know what it was. They did a greatjob, you have to give them credit."


Kovalev added an assist and Price made 28 saves for theCanadiens, who were relieved to end the home losing streak.

"It's hard when you lose that many games in a row at home,"Higgins said. "You start second-guessing the way you areplaying the game. The way we played tonight is the way we haveto play to be an effective team."


"You want to win, especially at home because we have the bestfans in the whole league," Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau said."They deserve to have a team that has success, but for whateverreason, we weren't able to put wins together at home."

Toskala turned aside 21 shots but had his string of sevenconsecutive games with less than three goals allowed stopped forToronto, which fell to 1-1-0 on its season-high seven-game roadtrip.


"It's frustrating," Gill said. "We've been playing well. Wejust have to keep going. You're not going to win all of them, Iguess."