Canadiens beat Bruins 2-1 in shootout but Boston avoids third straight shutout

Charles Krupa, Associated Press

Canadiens goalie Carey Price, right, was congratulated by teammate Paul Mara after Thursday's shootout.

By JIMMY GOLEN , Associated Press

Last update: November 6, 2009 - 12:09 AM

BOSTON - Patrice Bergeron's goal with 52 seconds left in regulation helped the Bruins avoid a historic third straight shutout, but Michael Cammalleri scored in the shootout to give the Montreal Canadiens a 2-1 victory over Boston on Thursday night.

Boston had not scored in 192 minutes, 6 seconds, dating to Vladimir Sobotka's goal at 7:02 of the third period against Edmonton on Saturday. The Bruins had not been shut out in three straight games since Eddie Shore and the 1928-29 squad scored just once over five games from Feb. 2-14, 1929.

That team went on to earn Boston's first Stanley Cup title.

The Bruins were less than a minute away from matching the ignominious feat when Bergeron, with goalie Tim Thomas pulled for an extra attacker, stuffed the rebound of Zdeno Chara's shot past Carey Price.

In the 700th game between the archrivals, Price stopped 42 Boston shots for his first win in more than a month, but he failed to earn his first shutout in more than a year. Thomas made 25 saves, giving up only Glen Metropolit's first-period goal and Cammalleri's in the shootout.

Bergeron, who also had a goal disallowed in the second period, couldn't convert in the shootout. When Mark Recchi was also stopped, Price had his first win since the second game of the season.

It was still 1-0 with 2:25 left in the second period when Marco Sturm put the puck on Price's stick and Bergeron, trailing the play, poked it in. The goal was put on the board but disallowed after the video review.

The Bruins were 0 for 3 on the power play, extending that scoreless streak to 20 advantages over seven games; they are last in the NHL in the power play.

NOTES: Montreal's Ryan White, who had an assist in the first period, and Tom Pyatt both played their first NHL games. ... Thomas took a puck off the goal line for a save with 11:35 left in the second, and it held up under review. ... Montreal had allowed at least one power-play goal in each of its previous five games. ... Thomas' outlet pass sent the Bruins on a 3-on-1 break in the first period. Jaroslav Spacek helped break it up, but went into the boards and was slow to get up.

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