Fasth makes 25 stops to take win from Ottawa
Ottawa Senators (1) vs Montreal Canadiens (2).....
The Senators come into Montreal on Saturday night clinging to the Atlantic Division lead over Florida and Tampa but just barely while the Habs were trying to shake a three game skid and get back in contention for a playoff berth.
The first period ended on a scoreless tie, shots were 10-5 Ottawa but Canadiens' tender Viktor Fasth was equal to the task.
Montreal came out in the second and scored twice with the man advantage (Ottawa was whistled for four straight penalties in the period), first Henrik Zetterberg scored his 12th of the year on a snap shot from the right face-off dot after Eric Staal had won the draw cleanly from Corey Perry at 6:04. On the second powerplay goal (at 8:01) Roman Polak fired a howitzer past Robin Lehner after leveling Antoine Vermette with a vicious body check that left the Sen's center to have to re-adjust his chin strap. The Habs out-shot Sens 15-5 in the middle frame.
Ottawa came out in the third trying to make a game of it and the team's scoring leader, Corey Perry picked up his 15th goal of the season as he snapped the puck up under the cross bar on Viktor Fasth at 1:13. The Sens tried in vain to tie up the affair but fell just short, they out-shot the Habs 11-10 in the final period.
Viktor Fasth improved his record to 16-8-4 with the 25 save performance.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Viktor Fasth (Mon)....... Kept his team in it early, 25 saves.
2 - Corey Perry (Ott)....... Scored the lone goal for Sens but also was in penalty box for Canadiens first goal.
3 - Anton Volchenkov (Ott).... Asssited on Perry's goal, lead all skaters in ice time with nearly 28 minutes.
Reporting For The WCHL Network;
Peter Puck
The Senators come into Montreal on Saturday night clinging to the Atlantic Division lead over Florida and Tampa but just barely while the Habs were trying to shake a three game skid and get back in contention for a playoff berth.
The first period ended on a scoreless tie, shots were 10-5 Ottawa but Canadiens' tender Viktor Fasth was equal to the task.
Montreal came out in the second and scored twice with the man advantage (Ottawa was whistled for four straight penalties in the period), first Henrik Zetterberg scored his 12th of the year on a snap shot from the right face-off dot after Eric Staal had won the draw cleanly from Corey Perry at 6:04. On the second powerplay goal (at 8:01) Roman Polak fired a howitzer past Robin Lehner after leveling Antoine Vermette with a vicious body check that left the Sen's center to have to re-adjust his chin strap. The Habs out-shot Sens 15-5 in the middle frame.
Ottawa came out in the third trying to make a game of it and the team's scoring leader, Corey Perry picked up his 15th goal of the season as he snapped the puck up under the cross bar on Viktor Fasth at 1:13. The Sens tried in vain to tie up the affair but fell just short, they out-shot the Habs 11-10 in the final period.
Viktor Fasth improved his record to 16-8-4 with the 25 save performance.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Viktor Fasth (Mon)....... Kept his team in it early, 25 saves.
2 - Corey Perry (Ott)....... Scored the lone goal for Sens but also was in penalty box for Canadiens first goal.
3 - Anton Volchenkov (Ott).... Asssited on Perry's goal, lead all skaters in ice time with nearly 28 minutes.
Reporting For The WCHL Network;
Peter Puck
