Canadiens hand sliding Jets 5th straight loss

[April 05, 2013]  MONTREAL (AP) -- Michael Ryder scored two goals and set up another, and the Montreal Canadiens downed Winnipeg 4-1 on Thursday night to hand the Jets their fifth straight loss.

Brian Gionta and Alex Galchenyuk also scored for Montreal (24-8-5), which has won four of five but was coming off a 5-3 loss in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Winnipeg outshot Montreal 35-24, but Canadiens backup goalie Peter Budaj improved to 6-1-1.

Alexander Burmistrov got his first goal in 18 games for the Jets (18-19-2), who fell out of first place in the Southeast Division to 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Washington and Winnipeg both have 38 points, but the Capitals own the top spot in the division on a tiebreaker.

The Jets, who were swept on a three-game road trip, have scored only six goals during their losing streak. They will begin a six-game homestand Saturday against Philadelphia.

Winnipeg struck first when Burmistrov was left unguarded on the left side, and put Grant Clitsome's pass into an open net 8:16 into the game.

Montreal got the goal back on a power play at 10:47 as Ryder was alone at the edge of the crease to push Gionta's rebound past Ondrej Pavelec.

Ryder got his second of the night when he fired the rebound of Subban's shot past a screened Pavelec 2:03 into the second period.

The veteran forward has nine goals in 17 games since he was acquired from Dallas on Feb. 26, including five in the last five. Subban has eight points in his last five games.

Gionta was at the net to deflect in Lars Eller's shot on a power play at 5:51.

The Jets felt as though they had a power-play goal early in the third, but Tobias Enstrom's tally was called back because Blake Wheeler bumped Budaj in the crease.

Galchenyuk sealed the victory when he was at the doorstep to lift in a puck flipped into the crease area by Ryder 7:43 into the third.

A team called the Winnipeg Jets has not won in Montreal since the former franchise -- that relocated to become the Phoenix Coyotes -- did it on March 14, 1985.

NOTES: Enstrom played in his 400th NHL game. ... Mike Santorelli, claimed on waivers from Florida, played his first game with the Jets. Nik Antropov sat out because of a lower body injury sustained Tuesday against the Islanders. ... Clitsome returned from a one-game absence caused by an eye injury. ... Montreal was without injured forward Tomas Plekanec. Gabriel Dumont was recalled from Hamilton of the AHL, but he didn't play because Ryan White returned from a six-game injury layoff.

[Associated Press]

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