The Canadiens scored four goals past Ottawa Senators goaltender Andrew Hammond in under 10 minutes in the second period Wednesday to propel them to a drama-filled 4-3 victory in Game One at the Bell Centre in Montreal Wednesday.

Brian Flynn led the Habs with a goal and two assists, while Torey Mitchell, Tomas Plekanec and Lars Eller added markers for the Canadiens all scored between the 7:53 mark and the 17:17 mark of the second period.

Flynn - who had zero points in nine game for the Habs since coming over from the Buffalo Sabres and who had never played an NHL playoff game - enjoyed his first-ever three point game in the NHL, topped off by the game winner scored from in close.

The goals scored by Mitchell and Plekanec were scored just 15 seconds apart, the fastest two playoff goals by the Habs since May 8, 1998.

The Senators opened the scoring at 12:25 of the first period on a goal credited to Milan Michalek, scored after Andrei Markov accidentally tucked the goal into his own net.

Canadiens’ defenceman P.K. Subban was ejected from the game and given a five minute major at 8:23 of the second period after slashing Ottawa sniper Mark Stone in front of his net. Stone rushed off the ice favouring his right wrist but returned sporadically to the game later.  Subban will not face suspension, it was announced after the game.

Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad rounded out the scoring for the Senators.

The Canadiens outshot the Senators 39-33.

Postgame comments

Montreal-born forward Torey Mitchell, who notched only one assist in 14 games for the Canadiens since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres said that it was a thrill scoring the first goal.

“It was very special for me, my parents and my family were here to see this, so it was special, for sure,” said Torrey Mitchell, who scored the Habs’ first goal. “Brian Flynn and Brandon Prust, we played simple and fast, that’s the style that works for us.”

Tom Gilbert said the victory was a team effort.

“Collectively, as a group, guys were working hard up and down the ice, lots of credit to the forwards coming back helping us out and the guy behind (Carey Price) played great,” said defenceman Tom Gilbert, who was forced into extra action as the Habs played with only five defencemen after Subban was ejected.

Carey Price credited his teammates' perseverence. “I thought we played a very good game tonight. We didn’t give up. It was a roller coaster type of game but we stuck with it and got the job done,” said winning goalie Price.

The scoring hero was humble following the victory. “It’s awesome to get those personal stats and stuff like that but I think it was a big win the way we were able to come back after that first goal and Carey made some big saves in the third,” said Brian Flynn.

Devante Smith-Pelly, who led the team with six hits, said that he did laid on the body in order to make life easier for his linemates.

"I have to do that to create space for Davey (Desharnais) and P.A. (Parenteau) or anybody I play with. I tried to get out there to bang some bodies."

Subban's slash

The two rival coaches did not share the same view on the slash Subban laid on Stone.

“I agree it was a slashing penalty. I don’t agree it deserved five minutes. But one thing for sure we’re going to be more disciplined than we were when we took the lead in the second penalty, the two penalties we took it could have cost us the game,” said Coach Michel Therrien, who was also referring to a butt end Lars Eller laid to the neck of Zibenejad.

Ottawa coach Dave Cameron said that Subban deserved a suspension.

"It’s a vicious slash. You either suspend him or one of our players gives one of their players a viscous slash and gets five, it’s not that complicated," said Cameron in a post-game press conference.

Mark Stone said that the believed he’d be able to play in Game Two after getting slashed by Subban.

“He tried targeting me a couple of times in the first period off of faceoffs. I think he knew what he was doing,” said Stone, who was asked whether he thought Subban should be suspended. “It’s up to the league, obviously it was a pretty big hack, he looked like he wanted to hurt me.”

Stone's goalie and captain were not too discouraged after the loss.

“I thought our play was pretty good there but we just seemed to give them a few lanes to the net and they were able to bury them,” said goalie Andrew Hammond.

"I think we had an opportunity to win tonight. I don’t think we had the best way we had in a while. I think we were a little bit sloppy in the back end,” said Captain Erik Karlsson.

Game Two goes Friday at 7 p.m. in Montreal.

First Period

1. Ottawa, Michalek 1 (unassisted) 12:25.

Penalties -- De La Rose Mtl (hooking) 6:50.

Second Period

2. Montreal, Mitchell 1 (Flynn, Subban) 7:53.

3. Montreal, Plekanec 1 (Galchenyuk, Subban) 8:08.

4. Ottawa, Turris 1 (Karlsson, Wiercioch) 10:36 (pp).

5. Montreal, Eller 1 (Flynn) 11:42 (sh).

6. Ottawa, Zibanejad 1 (Wiercioch, Karlsson) 12:36 (pp).

7. Montreal, Flynn 1 (Prust, Beaulieu) 17:17.

Penalties -- Eller Mtl (high-sticking) 8:14, Subban Mtl (slashing major) 8:23, Subban Mtl (game misconduct) 8:23, Turris Ott (roughing) 8:23.

Third Period

No Scoring.

Penalties -- Gryba Ott (interference) 13:48.

Shots on goal by

Ottawa 9 17 7 -- 33

Montreal 8 19 12 -- 39

Power plays (goal-chances)Ottawa: 2-5; Montreal: 0-1.

at Montreal.