MTL@WPG: Game Recap

WINNIPEG - The Canadiens snapped their two-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Jets on Monday night at Bell MTS Place.

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Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme made a lineup change on the defensive side of things.
Xavier Ouellet, who suited up for eight games with the AHL's Laval Rocket this year, made his season debut with Montreal. Victor Mete was a healthy scratch.

For his part, Carey Price started his 18th game of the season. It was also the 700th game of his career.
The 33-year-old joined the likes of Martin Brodeur, Henrik Lundqvist, Tony Esposito, Terry Sawchuk and Olaf Kolzig as the sixth goaltender in NHL history to play at least 700 regular-season games with a single franchise.

The Canadiens were in desperate need of a strong start, and that's exactly what happened when they converted on their very first shot.
With 4:01 gone in the opening frame, Jesperi Kotkaniemi capped a 3-on-1 with his fourth goal of the season to put Montreal up 1-0.
The 20-year-old Finn buried a feed from Jonathan Drouin, which was ultimately made possible by a diving Josh Anderson, who kept the puck out of Jets defenseman Derek Forbort's hands.

It was Drouin's team-leading 17th helper of the year.
Alternate captain Brendan Gallagher came close to putting the Canadiens up by a pair, but Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stymied him in close.

That's the way things stood after 20 minutes. Winnipeg outshot Montreal by a 13-6 margin.
Anderson registered his name on the scoresheet for the second time on the night when he netted a power play goal at the 5:33 mark of the second period.
The gritty right-winger snuck a loose puck past Hellebuyck for his 11th tally of the year, snapping a four-game goal drought in the process.

Tyler Toffoli and Nick Suzuki collected the assists.
The Jets responded with a power play goal of their own at the 8:07 mark of the stanza.
With Kotkaniemi in the box for holding, left-winger Kyle Connor beat Price with a wrist shot through traffic to cut the Canadiens' lead to 2-1.

It was Connor's third goal of the season versus Montreal and his 13th on the year.
Toffoli restored the Habs' two-goal advantage with 47 seconds left before the intermission.
The 28-year-old right-winger intercepted a pass attempt by Jets defenseman Neal Pionk and beat Hellebuyck on a breakaway for his team-leading 16th goal of the season.
The strike was unassisted.

The Canadiens took their 3-1 lead into the dressing room.
Ducharme's troops outshot the Jets 17-10 in the period. The two teams registered 23 shots each after 40 minutes.
Connor lit the lamp again for Winnipeg on the power play at the 5:47 mark of the third period, blasting a one-timer from the top of the circle that sailed past Price.
The goal was scored while defenseman Joel Edmundson was serving a tripping penalty.

Toffoli added an empty-netter with 48 seconds left in regulation to cap the scoring for Montreal.
It was his second goal of the night and 17th of the year.

Price made 34 saves to register his ninth win of the season.
The Canadiens will close out their six-game road trip on Wednesday night with a rematch against the Jets at Bell MTS Place.
Puck drop is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET.