OTTAWA - Carey Price made 33 saves Friday as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Ottawa Senators 2-1.
Erik Cole and Andrei Kostitsyn scored in the second period for Montreal (5-5-2), while Zack Smith replied while shorthanded in the third for Ottawa (7-7-0).
Craig Anderson stopped 24 shots in defeat as the Canadiens came off a six-day break to extend their winning streak to four games.
Montreal opened the scoring at 13:55 of the second period. Ottawa failed to clear a bouncing puck and Michael Cammalleri found Cole, who beat Anderson with a quick wrist shot.
A horrendous giveaway by Ottawa defenceman Erik Karlsson allowed the Canadiens to make it 2-0 at 16:55.
Karlsson looked to make a pass up the middle, but instead put the puck on Lars Eller's stick and he made a quick pass to Kostitsyn.
A great effort by Erik Condra cut the Montreal lead in half while the Senators were killing a penalty early in the third. Condra carried the puck in from centre along the side boards and fed Smith, who beat Price from in close at 1:07.
The Senators had a chance to tie it late when Montreal defenceman Josh Gorges was called for holding with 1:31 left in regulation. But with Anderson on the bench in favour of a sixth attacker, Ottawa failed to muster any real scoring chances in front of Price.
A scoreless first period saw the Canadiens outshoot the Senators 12-4 as Anderson kept his team in the game.
The Senators had a scare late in the third when Anderson struggled to get up after he was hit by Max Pacioretty who was initially pushed into Ottawa goalie by Sergei Gonchar.
The Senators host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night, while the Canadiens head out to New York to take on the Rangers.
Notes: The loss snapped Ottawa's four-game home ice winning streak. ... The Senators were without RW Daniel Alfredsson (concussion, indefinitely), C Peter Regin (shoulder, 6-8 weeks), D Matt Carkner (knee, indefinitely). D David Rundblad and C Zenon Konopka were a healthy scratch for Ottawa. ... The Canadiens were without D Andrei Markov (knee), D Chris Campoli (hamstring), C Scott Gomez (upper body) and C Ryan White (groin). D Alexei Emelin was a healthy scratch for Montreal.
