Pacioretty's overtime goal caps Canadiens comeback against Jets

Evan Sporer

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Pacioretty's overtime goal caps Canadiens comeback against Jets image

Staring down a two-goal, third period deficit on the road and without their starting goaltender, one could have given the Montreal Canadiens a pass if they costed through the final 15 minutes of regulation.

But the Canadiens did anything but that. 

Tomas Plekanec and Jeff Petry each scored, and Max Pacioretty scored the overtime winner to finish off a 5-4 comeback victory for the Canadiens against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre.

In a game the Canadiens were without starting goaltender Carey Price, Montreal scored at least five goals for the fourth time in their past six games, a 4-2-0 stretch that preceded a 1-6-1 stretch to open the season in which Montreal averaged 1.63 goals per game.

Shaw scores two on the power play

Before the Jets established their two-goal, third period lead, this was a back-and-forth game for 40 minutes, with the Canadiens dominating in the shot totals, but even on the scoreboard, thanks to forward Andrew Shaw.

With Montreal trailing 1-0 in the first period and on the man advantage, Jonathan Drouin walked the puck into the slot off the boards. While Drouin made his way to center ice, Shaw set up shop atop the crease, with Drouin giving him enough time to get into position.

Shaw's second of the game was also a score-changing goal, and again on the power play, when he went the crease again, and found a loose puck in a crowd of bodies.

Pacioretty scores overtime winner

For the second time this season, the Canadiens fired 50 shots on goal, though, unlike in 6-2 loss against the Anaheim Ducks, this time Montreal walked away with a victory. It ended with captain Max Pacioretty securing a second point with an overtime, power-play goal.

Pacioretty was responsible for six of those shots, and had two assists in the victory also, both coming on Shaw's power-play goals. With Montreal peppering Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck with shots, the Canadiens stayed the course, despite again not having a lead to show for controlling possession.

In overtime, Pacioretty had earlier been stopped on a 2-on-1 when Hellebuyck slid across his crease and stuck out the left pad to deny Pacioretty a goal. But after Tyler Myers cross-checked Alex Galchenyuk in overtime, the Canadiens took advantage on a 4-on-3 power play, their third special teams goal of the game, when Pacioretty beat Hellebuyck from point blank after a centering feed from Galchenyuk.

Jets second line gets going

It was just Thursday Patrik Laine was speaking to the media about his on-ice struggles, which consisted of a modest four-game goalless stretch. For a player like Laine though, going four games without a goal is enough to be considered a slump.

But after that brief media session, Laine scored on Thursday in a victory against the Dallas Stars, and followed that up with another goal on Saturday with an eerily similar score.

While Winnipeg had been winning without the help of Laine putting the puck in the back of the net (the Jets went 2-0-2 over those four games) Winnipeg had been getting the majority of its offense from its top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Blake Wheeler.

But not only did Laine chip in with a goal on Saturday, but so did his linemate Nikolaj Ehlers, who netted his team-leading eighth goal. 

Carey Price injury update

Questions have persisted about the Canadiens franchise goaltender, who has looked very un Price-like through the early portions of the season. Price currently has an .887 save-percentage, and has allowed at least four goals in seven of his 11 starts. 

On Friday, Price was absent from practice, and the Canadiens later announced he is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

On the Hockey Night In Canada broadcast, Nick Kypreos said Price has been dealing with a minor knee injury that is not expected to see him miss significant time, though, Kypreos was also quick to point out when Price missed most of the 2015-16 season, it began with a strained knee ligament that wasn't supposed to be a long-term problem.

In his place, Al Montoya made 19 saves on 23 shots.

Blake Wheeler scores a highlight goal

While the Jets second line chipped in with two goals on Saturday, Winnipeg's leading scorer Blake Wheeler had the play of the night. 

After corralling the puck in the neutral zone, Wheeler sped in and around Canadiens defenseman Jordie Benn, before tucking the puck past Montoya.

Evan Sporer