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Josh Morrissey and Andrew Copp also scored, and
Blake Wheeler assisted twice for the Jets, who broke a two-game
losing streak and won for just the third time in 10 games
(3-5-2).
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 29 shots as Winnipeg improved to
15-0-0 when leading after two periods. Adam Lowry played in his
400th game.
Ben Chiarot tallied two goals to reach a career-high seven in
his first multi-goal game, and Tomas Tatar contributed two
assists for Montreal, which lost its sixth straight (0-5-1).
Carey Price made 24 saves, and Max Domi's nine-game point streak
ended.
Former 2001 No. 1 draft pick Ilya Kovalchuk, signed by Montreal
last week, made a successful debut for the Canadiens with an
assist, four shots on goal, a plus-2 rating and 19:25 of ice
time.
The home crowd perked up when the 36-year-old Kovalchuk, wearing
his familiar No. 17 given to him by new teammate Brett Kulak,
hopped on the ice for his first shift in the first minute. He
skated down and flipped a 41-foot wrister that was easily gloved
by Hellebuyck, eliciting applause from the Bell Centre faithful.
Morrissey put the Jets up 1-0 early in the second when his long
shot beat Price at 1:32 for his fourth tally. The high-scoring
duo of Ehlers and Wheeler soon made it a two-goal advantage with
the Jets killing their first penalty.
With teammate Mathieu Perreault off for hooking and the NHL's
worst penalty-kill unit on the ice, the pair broke out on a
two-on-none break on Price, and Wheeler dumped a pass back to
Ehlers for Winnipeg's third short-handed marker and Ehlers' 17th
this year.
But Chiarot, a Winnipeg defenseman for six seasons, made it 2-1
at 11:03 by wiring a laser from the top of the left circle that
beat Hellebuyck on the short side.
A misplay by Cale Fleury at the blue line led to Copp's
unassisted breakaway goal at 10:16 for a 3-1 lead, but Chiarot's
second tally soon made it 3-2.
Montreal went on a power play with 3:17 remaining, and Price
went to the bench for the extra skater with 2:15 left.
But Winnipeg allowed just a couple of shots on goal and hung on
for the victory.
--Field Level Media
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