Habs score twice in shootout to beat Sabres 4-3

[February 18, 2012]  BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais scored shootout goals, and Carey Price stopped both attempts he faced in the Montreal Canadiens' 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.

Chris Campoli, Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle scored in regulation to help the Canadiens win their third straight road game and improve to 5-1-1 in their past seven overall. Montreal (24-25-10) also jumped out of a logjam of three teams with 56 points and alone into 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Tyler Ennis, Tyler Myers and Robyn Regehr scored for Buffalo. The Sabres, 0-3-1 in their past four, at least salvaged a point after Ennis forced overtime by scoring with 8:05 left in the third period.

After Pacioretty scored on the Canadiens' first shootout attempt, Desharnais sealed it by driving across the front of net before stuffing a shot just inside the left post, pushing it past Ryan Miller's pad.

Price stopped Brad Boyes and Jason Pominville in the shootout, and finished with 27 saves through overtime.

The Canadiens snapped a 0-3-3 skid against the Sabres, and bounced back after losing all three games this season to Buffalo in Montreal.

The Sabres continue having trouble holding early leads, a day after squandering a 2-0 first-period lead in a 7-2 loss at Philadelphia. Buffalo twice squandered one-goal leads against Montreal.

Campoli gave the Canadiens their first lead, breaking a 2-2 tie 11:28 into the second period shortly after Buffalo's Zack Kassian failed to get a shot off on an odd-man rush at the other end.

Back came the Canadiens, with Campoli getting the puck at the right boards. He was allowed to skate untouched into the middle, where he waited for an opening before lifting a shot into the top left corner over the fallen Miller.

Miller was down after Sabres defenseman Mike Weber shoved Gomez into the goalie while battling for position in front.

Ville Leino, who had two assists, set up Ennis's tying goal in the third period. Outworking Campoli behind the net, Leino turned and fired a bad-angle shot that glanced off Price's stick. The puck squirted into the slot, where Ennis fired it into the open left side.

The Canadiens got production from some unlikely scorers this season as Kaberle, Campoli and even Gomez -- the high-priced player who has endured a season-long slump -- each scored their second of the season. Gomez's goal came four games after he scored the first of his season, and a few days after he was involved in a shouting match with assistant coach Randy Ladouceur in practice.

Sabres fans continue to get restless with their underperforming high-priced team. Early into the third period, one fan was overheard yelling, "Fire everybody!"

NOTES: Earlier in the day, Montreal acquired forward Blake Geoffrion, grandson of Canadiens great Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, in a trade that sent D Hal Gill to Nashville. Geoffrion was assigned to AHL Hamilton. Montreal also acquired Robert Slaney in the deal, and Slaney will remain with ECHL Cincinnati. ... Myers played his 200th career game and, with his goal, registered his 100th career point. ... Canadiens' D Yannick Weber returned after missing four games with a lower body injury. ... Sabres C Derek Roy had an assist on Myers' goal, giving him 257 for his career to move into ninth on the team list, one ahead of Mike Ramsey.

[Associated Press; By JOHN WAWROW]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.