Netminder Carey Price carries Canadiens over Senators

Montreal, QC, Canada (4E Sports) – David Desharnais and Erik Cole scored in the first quarter and Carey Price finished what they started with 32 saves as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Ottawa Senators, 2-1, Sunday at Bell Centre.

Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty also made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup just eight days after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, picking up an assist on his first shift of the game to carry the Canadiens (6-2-1) to a second straight win.

The Canadiens also avenged their 5-1 loss to the Senators last Jan. 30 that snapped their four-game winning run.

Jakob Silfverberg scored the lone goal for the Senators, who lost their third straight road game to drop to 5-3-1.

The Senators missed top center Jason Spezza and defenseman Sergei Gonchar for the second time in three games. Gonchar missed the Senators’ 5-1 triumph over the Canadiens Wednesday with an undisclosed injury and was sidelined with the flu Sunday.

Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson had 30 saves and allowed two goals for just the second time this season.

Silfverberg opened scoring for the Senators with his second goal of the season just 98 seconds into the game.

However, the Canadiens tied it up 35 seconds later on Desharnais’ goal from an assist by Pacioretty. The goal was Desharnais’ third in two games after a six-game scoring drought.

Montreal took a lead 2-1 at 11:29 of the first period just three seconds after a power play expired when Francis Bouillon found Cole, who then buried his second goal of the season.

In the third, Senators defenseman Andre Benoit appeared to beat Price with a wrist shot from the point for his first career goal thanks to a screen by Silfverberg.

Referee Brian Pochmara, however, immediately waved the goal off, calling Silfverberg for goaltender interference.

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