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 Markov provided the winner in a shootout, lifting the Montreal
Canadiens to a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on
Wednesday night.
"When you lose a game, you want to come back and win one," said
Markov, referring to the Canadiens' 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles
Kings on Monday night. "We wanted (Wednesday's) game after a good
start."
Markov delivered in the sixth round of the shootout after there was
controversy surrounding a shot by Anaheim center Kyle Palmieri in
the fifth round. Following a review, the officials ruled that the
puck didn't cross the line.
"I saw it go off the post and head towards the net, but by the time
it was bouncing off, I didn't see it hit the other post," Palmieri
said. "I looked back and the ref called a goal, but when they went
to review it, it didn't go in. There's not much you can do about
it."
The NHL-leading Ducks (43-14-6) saw their three-game winning streak
end. The Canadiens (35-22-7) swept the season series between the
teams, as they recorded a 4-1 win over Anaheim in October.
"It's always good to be able to perform against a great hockey
team," Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. "They play really well.
They're the best team in the league. We found a way to win this
hockey game."
Canadiens rookie goaltender Dustin Tokarski stopped 39 shots in his
first NHL start, while Anaheim netminder Jonas Hiller finished with
28 saves.
"He was outstanding," Therrien said of Tokarski, who stuffed Anaheim
center Saku Koivu in the shootout's sixth round before Markov
scored. "He made some key saves at the right time again."
Center Daniel Winnik briefly gave Anaheim the lead late in the third
period. Winnik cashed in a miss by left winger Matt Beleskey for 3-2
Ducks advantage with 1:49 left in the third.
However, Montreal answered with 36 seconds remaining in regulation.
Right winger Brendan Gallagher, who also had an assist, gathered the
puck during a scrum in front of the net and slapped it past Hiller
to tie the score at 3.
Anaheim got off to a sluggish start and the Canadiens took
advantage, taking a two-goal lead in the first period.
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"We came out a little slow and had to start catching up," Hiller
said. "We weren't focused enough, starting from me all the way up
front. Pucks were getting away from us, and we weren't strong enough
on the puck."
Right winger Brian Gionta knocked home a loose puck after a face-off
between Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec and Koivu at 8:43 of the
first. The Canadiens scored again when left winger Max Pacioretty
took a cross-ice pass from center David Desharnais and scored with
7:24 remaining in the period. Pacioretty collected his 30th goal of
the season.
Anaheim cut the margin to 2-1 when right winger Tim Jackman got his
stick on a shot by defenseman Luca Sbisa and redirected it for a
goal at 7:08 of the second period.
The Ducks got a gift to tie the score. Defenseman Francois
Beauchemin fired a shot off the boards as he was crossing center
ice. The puck took a fortuitous bounce after Tokarski left his post
to stop it, only to watch it bounce away from where he had
anticipated and roll into the empty net, knotting the score at 2 at
9:07 of the second. Hiller also got an assist on the power-play
goal.
The Canadiens had a goal waved off in the opening minutes of the
third period when Gallagher was called for a high stick after he
deflected the puck past Hiller into the net.
NOTES: Anaheim outshot Montreal 19-9 in the second period. ...
Montreal RW George Parros, a former Duck and a popular player during
his six seasons in Anaheim, received a standing ovation after a
video tribute. ... With RW Dustin Penner being traded to the
Washington Capitals, Ducks C Kyle Palmieri got the start on the
first line with RW Corey Perry and C Ryan Getzlaf. ... Anaheim C
Mathieu Perreault missed his second consecutive game with an
upper-body injury. He is listed as day-to-day. ... Canadiens D Mike
Weaver, acquired in a trade Tuesday with the Florida Panthers, was
scratched. ... Montreal caps its West Coast swing with visits to the
Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday and the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. ...
The Ducks complete their five-game homestand by hosting the
Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
... The crowd was announced at 17,174.
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