Canadiens rally, top Islanders in shootout

NEW YORK -- Max Domi had a goal and an assist to help the Montreal Canadiens rally for a 4-3 shootout win against the New York Islanders at Barclays Center on Monday.

Jonathan Drouin and Artturi Lehkonen scored for the Canadiens (8-4-2). Antti Niemi made 21 saves and Joel Armia scored the only goal in the five-round shootout.
Domi scored a power-play goal at 15:36 of the second period to get the Canadiens within 3-2. It was the eighth goal in the past nine games for Domi, who has a goal in three straight.
WATCH: [All Canadiens vs. Islanders highlights]
"We've gotten a taste of what it's like to win some hockey games in this league this year and we want to keep it going," Domi said. "It's a good feeling. Winning is fun. That's what it's all about."
Lekhonen scored on a deflection to tie the game 3-3 at 7:43 of the third period.

"Not every game is going to be perfect, but how you react to certain situations is important," Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. "I thought our reaction after the first was extremely good."
Casey Cizikas scored twice, Valtteri Filppula scored, and Thomas Greiss made 32 saves for the Islanders (8-4-2), who had won five straight but extended their point streak to seven (5-0-2). New York had a 3-1 lead after the first period.

"We were awful. Plain and simple," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "The right team won tonight. That was our worst game of the year. ... Today, we did not have it."
It was Armia's first shootout attempt in the NHL.

"I think I kind of knew what I was going to do before I went out there, so it's a good thing it worked," Armia said.
Cizikas gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 4:04 of the first period, putting in a rebound off a shot by defenseman Adam Pelech.
Drouin tied the game at 1-1 at 5:59 of the first taking a saucer pass from Domi and scoring from inside the left face-off circle. Domi has 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in his past 10 games.
The Islanders took a 2-1 lead at 7:44 of the first after a turnover in the neutral zone when Filppula converted on a 2-on-1 with Leo Komarov. It was Filppula's fifth goal on 11 shots this season.

Cizikas scored his second goal at 14:58 of the first for a 3-1 lead. His pass hit off Canadiens defenseman Jordie Benn and came back to him before he scored.
"I know it's a point, but we had a great opportunity to get two and as group we have to find a way to bring it together and get those games because who knows at the end of the season what it comes down to," Cizikas said. "You have to tip your cap to them; they came hard. They were all over there hounding us. We just didn't have an answer."
Niemi didn't allow a goal on 16 shots after the first period after he allowed three on the first eight shots of the game. He also didn't allow a goal on five shootout attempts.
"He was our best player tonight. He was unbelievable," Domi said.
Drouin has a goal and an assist, his first points in the past four games.
"If you're going to let the other team score three goals, if they get four or five, it's going to be hard to come back on the road," Drouin said. "Niemi did a great job after the first. Obviously not his best start, but he answered after and played very well."

They said it

"I think he did the same thing the rest of the team did. From the second period on, he was extremely solid, made some big saves when he had to and gave us an opportunity to claw ourselves back into it." -- Canadiens coach Claude Julien on goalie Antti Niemi
"That wasn't our best. You've seen our best already in the last five, six games. Today, we weren't there." -- Islanders coach Barry Trotz

Need to know

Montreal is 10-2-1 in its past 13 games against New York. ... It was the second two-goal game in the NHL for Cizikas (Oct. 7, 2017). ... Islanders forward Josh Bailey's point streak ended at eight games. ... Islanders forward Matt Martin (upper-body injury) missed his second straight game. ... Niemi is 4-1-1 in his career against the Islanders.

What's next

Canadiens: At the New York Rangers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV)
Islanders: At the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; SUN, MSG+, NHL.TV)