Toffoli scores twice, Canadiens defeat Canucks again

MONTREAL --Tyler Toffoli scored twice and took the NHL lead with his ninth goal of the season in the Montreal Canadiens' 5-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Bell Centre on Tuesday.

Toffoli's two goals came in 3:18 during the second period after Josh Anderson scored twice in 3:07 in the first for the Canadiens (7-1-2), who are 4-0-1 against Vancouver, including a 6-2 win here Monday. Jake Allen made 36 saves.
Eight of Toffoli's nine goals have been scored in the five games against the Canucks; he scored six in 10 games with Vancouver last season after he was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 17, 2020. The forward signed a four-year contract with the Canadiens on Oct. 12.
"It's just fun out there right now, and we're just doing so well as a team and all the guys are getting along great," Toffoli said. "So hopefully we can stick with it and stay together and keep getting better every single day, and that's what we're trying to do. I think we're on the right path right now."
Quinn Hughes had three assists, and Thatcher Demko made 28 saves for the Canucks (6-7-0), who have allowed at least five goals in each of their games against the Canadiens.
"They've beaten us four times out of five, so I guess right now they have our number," Vancouver coach Travis Green said.

Anderson gave Montreal a 1-0 lead with his fifth goal at 13:53 of the first period, then made it 2-0 when he redirected a shot from Brett Kulak at 17:00.
Antoine Roussel scored his first of the season on a rebound at 4:20 of the second period to make it 2-1. He did not play Monday because of an undisclosed injury.
Toffoli gave the Canadiens a 3-1 lead on a redirection of Joel Edmundson's shot at 12:29, then made it 4-1 when he drove up the middle and dragged the puck between his skates in front of Canucks defenseman Jordie Benn before scoring with a backhand into the top right corner at 15:47.
Toffoli is the third player in the NHL modern era (since 1943-44) to score nine goals in his first 10 games with the Canadiens, joining centers
Pierre Turgeon
(10, 1994-95) and
Bobby Smith
(nine, 1983-84).
"I couldn't believe it, but he's just been awesome," Anderson said. "He's been a very consistent player for us and very dangerous out there, so we're very lucky to have him."
Elias Pettersson scored on a wrist shot from the right circle for a power-play goal 53 seconds into the third period to make it 4-2.

Tanner Pearson made it 4-3 with 42 seconds remaining and Demko pulled for an extra attacker.
"I think we battled hard," Pettersson said. "We talked about it because we weren't happy with our game Monday]. I think we raised our compete level and didn't go all the way today. It [stinks] to lose, but it was better today than [Monday]."
Jeff Petry scored an empty-net goal with six seconds left for the 5-3 final. Toffoli scored his third point with an assist.
Vancouver outshot Montreal 13-7 in the third period.
"They had a good push in the third, throwing just a lot of pucks at the net, [but
(retired).
"We had a nice get-together after the game, had a little gift from the boys there and management," Anderson said. "But it's not every day you get to play your 1,000th game, and I think it was such a special night just to be a part of it. And seeing 'Webs' being such a great leader and going through that, so I'm very happy for him."