Habs overcome losing streak with 5-4 win over St. Louis Blues

Montreal Canadiens' Jonathan Drouin (27) celebrates with teammate Johnathan Kovacevic after scoring against the St. Louis Blues during third period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, January 7, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

The Montreal Canadiens scored three goals during an intense third period to snap an embarrassing six-game losing skid in a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

Jonathan Drouin scored his first of the season to give Montreal (16-21-3) the win in a final frame where both teams scored five goals. Joel Armia scored two goals. Kirby Dach and Cole Caufield also scored for Montreal.

The Blues (19-18-3) were helped by their fourth line. Alexey Torppochenko scored while Nikita Alexandrov netted his first NHL goal. Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevic added goals.

Jake Allen made 18 saves and allowed four goals as the Canadiens swept the season series against his former team.

Jordan Binnington gave up five goals and made 22 saves.

Christian Dvorak tried to rekindle the magic from the last Canadiens-Blues encounter, where he bagged a hat trick in a 7-4 win. Late in the first period, Dvorak found his way between Blues defencemen Calle Rosen and Justin Faulk but Binnington denied the centre’s effort to score the first goal.

Seconds later, the Blues broke the ice on the counter attack. Brayden Schenn passed over to Saad on a two-on-one down the ice giving the visitors a 1-0 lead by the first intermission.

Armia levelled the score for Montreal in the second period. The winger made Jack Neighbours fall by spinning and winding up a wrist shot that beat Binnington.

St. Louis regained their lead when former Hab Tyler Pitlick found Torpochenko, who scored his second goal of the campaign.

Montreal had a golden opportunity to tie the game at 2-2 after Ivan Barbachev took a four-minute high-sticking call. After three minutes of sustained pressure, it seemed as though the Blues would escape from their lengthy penalty but Dach equalized from the high slot.

The Canadiens took their first lead of the game 36 seconds into the third period. Nick Suzuki sent a high pass for Caufield from behind the net and the winger surprised Binnington for his 23rd goal of the season.

The Blues tied the game less than two minute later when Alexandrov hopped on Allen’s rebound to score his first NHL goal.

St. Louis made it a 4-3 game on the power play after former Blue Joel Edmundsson’s weak clearance ended up on Buchnevic’s stick in the slot.

The Habs tied the game yet again when Jake Evans hit the post but Armia grabbed the rebound and netted his second of the night.

Montreal took their second lead of the game when Drouin’s backhand slid under Binnington and past the goal line.

Blues defenceman Robert Bortuzzo suffered a lower-body injury in the first period. The Blues announced in the first intermission that he would not return to the game.

Canadiens defenceman David Savard skated in his 700th NHL game. The Ste. Hyacithe, Que., native split his 12-year NHL career between the Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning and collected 191 points (45 goals, 146 assists) along the way.

On the other side of the ice, Blues defenceman Justin Faulk laced up his skates for an 800th NHL game. The 33-year-old also played 12 seasons in the NHL with the Blues and the Carolina Hurricanes totalling 368 points (119 goals, 249 assists).

The Canadiens end their three-game homestand by hosting the Seattle Kraken on Monday.

The Blues cap off back-to-back road games in Minnesota against the Wild on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2023.