BOSTON -- Alex Galchenyuk scored the only shootout goal, and the Montreal Canadiens stopped the Boston Bruins' 12-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory Monday night.
The Bruins fell one game short of their longest winning streak since 1970-71 and two shy of the club record set in 1929-30. But their one point from the shootout loss moved them ahead of Western Conference-leading St. Louis for the most in the NHL with 104.
Boston tied it at 1 with just two seconds left on its sixth power play of the game. Dougie Hamilton's slap shot from the centre of the blue line deflected off Patrice Bergeron and past goalie Peter Budaj with 5:26 left in the third period. It was Bergeron's 23rd goal of the season.
Montreal grabbed the lead on Alexei Emelin's third goal of the season at 6:39 of the first. Emelin's shot from the blue line deflected off Bruins forward Chris Kelly about 30 feet from the net and rose over the glove of goalie Tuukka Rask.
The win moved Montreal ahead of Tampa Bay and into third place in the Eastern Conference.
In the shootout, Bergeron, Jarome Iginla, Brad Marchand and David Krejci missed for Boston while Thomas Vanek, David Desharnais and Daniel Briere failed for Montreal. Then Galchenyuk went in close to put the puck between Rask's stick and the post to the right of the goaltender.
The Bruins had three power plays in the first 11 minutes of the third period but were outshot 5-1 as the Canadiens picked off errant passes and cleared the puck from their zone. The Bruins kept the pressure on during their next power play until Bergeron scored.
Montreal had an excellent opportunity with a two-man advantage for 44 seconds late in the second period when Johnny Boychuk was called for roughing P.K. Subban and joined Iginla in the penalty box. The Canadiens took four shots on goal before Iginla's penalty ended and none during the rest of the power play.
Budaj came up with a big glove save when he stopped Zdeno Chara's slap shot from the blue line with 5 seconds left in the second period.
It was Boston's first loss since March 1 against Washington.
NOTES: Montreal C Lars Eller missed the game with a lower-body injury. He has played in 71 of his team's 73 games. ... Canadiens left wing Travis Moen did not return after being helped off the ice on his first shift after a fight early in the first period with defenceman Kevin Miller. It was sparked when Miller cross-checked right wing Dale Weise into the boards. Weise also missed the rest of the game. ... Former Bruins defenceman Ray Bourque dropped the ceremonial first puck.
