Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) - James van Riemsdyk missed the net in the third round of the shootout, and Montreal clipped Toronto, 2-1, at Bell Centre.
Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais converted their chances for the hosts while Tyler Bozak failed for the Leafs. All Carey Price had to do was stop Mike Santorelli to lock up the contest, but the latter scored to keep the visitors alive.
Brendan Gallagher failed on his shot to open the final round but van Riemsdyk pushed his attempt wide and to the left to give the Habs an extra point.
"It's a lot better when you win games like this. We only had four defensemen for a period and we really stuck with it for the rest of the night," said Desharnais.
Gallagher tallied in regulation and Price ended up with 28 saves for the Canadiens, who improved to 4-0-1 in their last five games.
Daniel Winnik provided the offense for the Maple Leafs, while Jonathan Bernier turned away 31 pucks in Toronto's third consecutive defeat.
"At least the effort was there. We played a much better game, a 65-minute game, but we didn't get the result we wanted. You have to manage the work ethic," said Leafs defenseman Stephane Robidas.
Winnik's wrister from the right circle put the Leafs on top with 8:41 left in the first period.
The Habs tied it 22 seconds into their first power play as Gallagher deposited a Tomas Plekanec rebound only 41 seconds later.
Leafs forward David Clarkson leveled Habs defenseman Sergei Gonchar with a questionable hit inside of two minutes left in the first. Montreal's Nathan Beaulieu answered the call and fought Clarkson, who was given a major for interference and game misconduct for his actions.
"You have to look at the overall picture and you have to be pleased at that, with nine of 10 points in our last five games, said Habs head coach Michel Therrien. "We were really up against it without Beaulieu and Gonchar and the guys pulled together."
Once things calmed down, both sides maintained a decent pace through the second and third periods plus overtime without another goal.
Each side failed to convert power-play chances in the final seven-plus minutes of regulation.
Game Notes
Montreal has won its last three home games against Toronto, including two in a row beyond regulation ... The Leafs had won six of the previous seven in Quebec's largest city from Feb. of 2011 through Oct. of 2013 ... The Canadiens improved to 6-1 in shootouts this season and the Maple Leafs fell to 3-3.
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