In the last game of their Western Canada road trip, the Montreal Canadiens edged the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Saturday night.

Tomas Tatar scored his ninth goal of the season and his sixth in his last six games, to open the scoring 8:07 into the second period. Canucks defenseman Michael Del Zotto tied the game 1-1 just eight minutes later at 16:13.

It was 1-1 after 40 minutes of play. Canucks star rookie Elias Pettersson gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead after he scored his first goal in four games, on the power play at 10:09 of the third period. Just over 90 seconds later, Andrew Shaw tied it back up at 2-2.

Jonathan Drouin scored the game-winning goal with just 2:44 left in regulation to give the Habs a 3-2 lead, which held up to be the final score.

“I just walked the line and saw (Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher) going to the net and they had two D screening their own goalie, so I just tried to aim for that right side of the net,” said Drouin.

The Canucks have now lost five games in a row, as they returned home from a 1-3-2 road trip, and they fall to 10-10-2 on the season, and 5-3-0 at home. The Habs go to 11-6-3 on the season.

This is the Canadiens’ second win in a row after they beat Calgary on Thursday. They have won three of their last four games as they head back home. Max Domi, who has fit in well with Montreal, extended his point streak to nine games (five goals, eight assists) with an assist on Shaw’s game-tying goal. Drouin, who had the game-winning goal, also has a point streak, with six points (three goals, three assists) in five games.

Carey Price made 36 saves in the win and improved to 11-2-2 in his career vs Vancouver. The Anahim Lake, B.C. native had a struggling start to the season but has now put in two good performance in back-to-back wins.

“A big character win for us to come back,” Price said. “It’s good to get a couple bounce-back games after Edmonton and make it a successful road trip.”

Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom made 28 saves in the loss. “For me to let in two in the last 10 minutes of the third, it’s very frustrating,” Markstrom said. “I don’t care how it looks, but we’ve got to win, especially those tight games.”

Each team had a power play goal, Montreal went 1/3 as Drouin’s game-winner was on the man-advantage. Vancouver went 1/4 as Pettersson’s go-ahead goal in the final period was also on the power play.

Up Next:

MTL: The Habs (11-6-3) will head back home where they will face the Washington Capitals (9-7-3) on Monday.

VAN: The Canucks (10-10-2) will also play on Monday, when they host the Winnipeg Jets (11-5-2).

Sources:

All quotes and stats courtesy of NHL