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CANADIENS 2, Leafs 1
Petrov scores first goal to lift Habs
MONTREAL (CP) -- It had been more than four years since Oleg Petrov last scored an NHL goal, and he chose a Saturday night showdown with the rival Toronto Maple Leafs to get one.
The speedy Petrov, who spent the last three seasons in Switzerland, got his first goal in 20 games this season in the second period to help the streaking Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 victory over the slumping Leafs.
His last NHL goal came on Dec. 6, 1995 against New Jersey.
"For sure, it's been a long time since I scored in the NHL," said the two-time Swiss league scoring leader. "I didn't even score any in training camp
"I'm glad to get it. I knew I just had to keep working hard."
Petrov added an assist on Sergei Zholtok's goal as the Canadiens extended their season-high winning streak to five games while the Leafs' season-worst winless run stretched to six games (0-5-1-0).
Steve Thomas scored in the first period for Toronto, the Northest Division leaders at 30-22-7-3.
"The first three months of the season, we found ways to win," said Leafs goaltender Curtis Joseph. "Now it seems like we can't find any way to win.
"It's been tough sledding."
The Canadiens, 23-28-7-3, moved into a tie with the idle Boston Bruins, one of the three teams they need to get past to challenge for a playoff spot.
The stocky Petrov, who first played for Montreal from 1992-96, spent much of the early season in the minors, but had just rediscovered his NHL niche on a line with Zholtok and Dainius Zubrus when he blew out a knee and missed 22 games.
Since his return on Feb. 10, the line has caught fire again.
"You saw me jumping around more than (Petrov) when he scored," said Zholtok. "He deserved it.
"He's probably the smallest guy on the team, but he's the guy who probably works the hardest. We told him it was going to come. It's a big lift for him."
Coach Alain Vigneault said the stocky Petrov "is not a natural scorer, but when that line is on, we spend more time in the other team's end than our own.
"He keeps his legs moving. He skates and causes turnovers."
A full house of 21,273, including many vocal leafs fans, turned out to see Montreal beat rival Toronto for the first time in four meetings this season. The teams end their five-game season series Mar. 4 in Toronto.
The Leafs outshot Montreal 26-24.
Thomas put a high blast to the glove side by Jeff Hackett on a rush during a power play 18:12 into the match.
Petrov took a feed from Zholtok on a two-on-one and cut to the net to slip the puck past Joseph 1:35 into the second period.
Zholtok was helped off the ice at 9:04 of the second frame after taking a slash on the back of the knee from Kevyn Adams, but returned moments later to put Montreal in the lead.
Petrov slipped the puck to Zholtok for low blast from the high slot that beat Joseph at 17:14 for his team-leading 19th goal of the season.
Notes -- Montreal winger Benoit Brunet returned after missing three games with dizzy spells while defenceman Vladimir Malakhov came back after two games out with a sore knee. ... Toronto opted to dress seven defencemen, with centre Mats Sundin playing double shifts for much of the game. . . . The Leafs won the first three meetings between the clubs this year. The last tme they beat Montreal four times in a season was 1970-71.
Summary
-----------------------------
Toronto 1 0 0--1
Montreal 0 2 0--2
-----------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Toronto, Thomas 15 (power play) (Hoglund,
Karpovtsev), 18:12. Penalties: Dykhuis, Mon (cross checking), 3:41;
Malakhov, Mon (Obstr hooking), 10:29; Bouillon, Mon (high sticking),
17:21.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Montreal, Petrov 1 (Zholtok, Zubrus), 1:35.
3, Montreal, Zholtok 19 (Dykhuis, Petrov), 17:14. Penalties: Sundin, Tor
(hooking), 4:38; Korolev, Tor (Obstr holding), 8:23; Korolev, Tor
(holding), 18:08.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None.
Shots on goal:
---------------------------------
Toronto 14 4 8--26
Montreal 6 10 8--24
---------------------------------
Power-play Conversions: Tor - 1 of 3, Mon - 0 of 3. Goalies: Toronto,
Joseph (24 shots, 22 saves; record: 25-15-7). Montreal, Hackett (26, 25;
record: 12-17-5). A:21,273. Referee: Fraser. Linesmen: Champoux,
Driscoll.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS
Toronto Montreal
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
Adams 0 0 -2 2 Belanger 0 0 even 1
Antropov 0 0 even 3 Bouillon 0 0 even 1
B Berard 0 0 -1 1 Brisebois 0 0 +2 2
Clark 0 0 even 1 Brunet 0 0 even 0
Cross 0 0 even 2 Dykhuis 0 1 +2 2
Di Yushkevich 0 0 -1 2 Malakhov 0 0 even 0
Diduck 0 0 even 1 Petrov 1 1 +2 5
Domi 0 0 even 1 Poulin 0 0 even 1
Hoglund 0 1 even 0 Rivet 0 0 even 0
Kaberle 0 0 even 1 Rucinsky 0 0 even 2
Karpovtsev 0 1 -1 0 S Corson 0 0 even 1
Korolev 0 0 even 1 Stevenson 0 0 even 0
Markov 0 0 -1 2 T Linden 0 0 even 3
Perreault 0 0 -2 2 Ulanov 0 0 even 0
Sundin 0 0 even 4 Weinrich 0 0 even 1
Thomas 1 0 even 1 Zholtok 1 1 +2 2
Tucker 0 0 -1 1 Zubrus 0 1 +2 3
Valk 0 0 -1 1
Khristich Mouth Fichaud Healthy
Mccauley Healthy Lachance Healthy
Mcallister Healthy Richter Healthy
S Berezin Hamstring J Lind Hip Injury
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