Bergeron buries final two scores to send Montreal past Atlanta

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Marc-Andre Bergeron scored the game-tying goal late in regulation and had the game-winner in overtime to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers.

Jaroslav Halak made 47 saves in his second consecutive strong performance for Montreal, which has won two in a row following a five-game slide. Halak stopped 40 shots in a 3-0 victory over the Islanders on Saturday.

Tomas Plekanec had a goal and three assists in the win, while Mike Cammalleri had two helpers and Andrei Kostitsyn also scored.

"I think they had better chances," Montreal head coach Jacques Martin said. "But I think our power play came through big-time at the end of the game."

Nik Antropov had two goals for the Thrashers, who have lost two in a row. Ilya Kovalchuk netted his 20th goal, while Johan Hedberg let in all four goals on 23 shots.

The Canadiens went on the power play with 2:09 left in regulation after Atlanta's Zach Bogosian was whistled for hooking. Just 24 seconds into the man advantage, Bergeron beat Hedberg to net the equalizer.

Then, near the middle of the overtime period, Plekanec led the Montreal rush up-ice. He fed a pass to the slot for Bergeron, who shifted the puck to his backhand and slid it in goal as he crashed into Hedberg, dislodging the net. The goal was upheld after review, giving Montreal the victory.

"I tried to get my leg over there, but I couldn't reach," Hedberg said. "He ran into me and got pushed into the post. It felt like it was a good goal. We have been on the receiving end. We did a lot of great things tonight. We just gotta keep plugging away."

Kovalchuk put the Thrashers on top in the final minute of the first, but Montreal got two scores in the second to go in front.

A turnover in the neutral zone resulted in the first, as Plekanec's shot from the right circle beat Hedberg high to the far side at the 1:32 mark. Nearly nine minutes later, with Montreal on the power play, Kostitsyn buried a rebound with Hedberg falling backward to make it 2-1.

However, Antropov evened the game just 22 seconds into the third, then made it a 3-2 Atlanta lead 1:20 later while on the power play.

Game Notes

Following the game, Martin said Bergeron was being evaluated after his crash into the post and should be okay...Montreal was 2-for-3 on the power play, while Atlanta went 1-for-6...Tobias Enstrom had two assists for Atlanta...Montreal improved to 2-0-0 on its seven-game road trip, which continues Wednesday at Carolina.