Canadiens Extend Point Streak To 5 With Win Over Islanders

MONTREAL (AP) — Jonathan Drouin and Nikita Scherbak scored in the second period and the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Islanders 3-1 on Wednesday night to extend their points streak to five games.

Paul Byron also scored and Antti Niemi made 27 saves to help the Canadiens improve to 2-0-3 in their last five.

Mathew Barzal scored his 18th of the season for the Islanders. They are winless in last four games and 4-8-2 in their last 14.

It was wide open in the first period, with the teams trading chances and each coming up with a goal. The highlight was the Islanders getting three breakaways while killing a penalty, although they failed to score on them.

Barzal took a pass at the Montreal blue line, blew past rookie defenseman Noah Juulsen and beat Niemi with a deke to the backhand at 3:50. Bryan tied it with 8:58 left in the period, beating Jaroslav Halak to the top corner off an assist from Drouin.

Drouin gave the Canadiens the lead on a power play at 8:29 of the second. He moved into the left circle to take a feed from Jeff Petry and put a shot inside the far post. Scherbak scored with 6:23 to go in the period.

NOTES: Canadiens coach Claude Julien said goalie Carey Price, who is recovering from a concussion, will not accompany the team for the rematch in New York on Friday night. Newly acquired defenseman Mike Reilly made his Canadiens debut. ... The Islanders used their two trade deadline acquisitions — defenceman Brandon Davidson and forward Chris Wagner.

UP NEXT:

The teams meet again Friday night in Brooklyn.

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