Bergeron, Metropolit help Canadiens beat Coyotes

GLENDALE, Ariz.(AP) — The Montreal Canadiens finally got their
power play rolling.

Marc-Andre Bergeron and Glen Metropolit scored 1:02 apart in the
third period, the second goal on the power play, and Carey Price
made 18 saves in the Canadiens’ 4-2 victory over the Phoenix
Coyotes on Thursday night.

“In the NHL, it’s pretty much how you win games,” Bergeron said.
“We wanted to focus on the power play and penalty kill and they
gave us the win.”

Michael Cammalleri had a power-play goal, Brian Gionta also
scored, and Tomas Plekanec had three assists for Montreal. The
Canadiens snapped a two-game losing streak and won for just the
third time in eight games.

Montreal was a perfect 2-for-2 on the power play after scoring
only once in its past 16 chances over six games.

“There are two factors in determining a game – special teams and
goaltending,” coach Jacques Martin said. “Both of them tonight
were key factors.”

Paul Bissonnette scored his first career goal, and Robert Lang
also scored for Phoenix. The Coyotes have lost four of five.

“We struggled moving the puck out of our end, we struggled
moving the puck through the neutral zone and we didn’t generate
a whole lot,” Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. “There were not a
lot of shots and not a lot of quality scoring opportunities.”

Bergeron made it 2-1 at 5:10 of the third after Plekanec won a
faceoff to the left of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. Bergeron circled
back to the blue line before striding to the top of the left
circle and firing a wrist shot just under the crossbar.

Metropolit made it 3-1 at 6:12, standing untouched on the right
doorstep and taking a pass from Plekanec before flipping the
puck into the net.

Bissonnette pulled the Coyotes within a goal at 9:30,
redirecting Shaun Heshka’s long shot past Price. Replays
indicated Bissonnette had directed the puck into the net with
his skate, but video officials upheld the score after a lengthy
review.

Gionta added an empty-netter with 41.8 seconds to go.

“We gave them a few opportunities and they buried them,” Lang
said.

Cammalleri gave Montreal a 1-0 lead at 7:07 of the first period,
taking a pass from Plekanec just to the right of Bryzgalov and
scoring before defenseman James Vandermeer was able to get in
position.

“Usually when you make two passes of that caliber on the power
play, the puck’s going to end up in the back of the net,”
Cammalleri said.

Lang tied it at 10:54 of the period after Price was knocked
backward by the stick of teammate Paul Mara. Lang took a pass
from Radim Vrbata from behind the net and shot into the open top
of the net as Price lay prone on the ice.

“I got it right in my jugular,” Price said. “Sometimes you can’t
really see anything. You’re trying to battle and trying to watch
your guy and sticks go everywhere.”

NOTES: The announced attendance was 10,064, the fourth-highest
total in nine home games this season. … Heshka’s assist was
his first NHL point. … The Coyotes have lost two straight for
the fourth time but have yet to lose three in a row. …
Montreal has not lost in Phoenix since Dec. 9, 1998. The
Canadiens are 10-2-4 against the Coyotes since the franchise
moved to Phoenix before the 1996-97 season. … Phoenix
defensemen Ed Jovanovski and Zbynek Michalek missed the game
because of lower-body injuries.