Oilers  4    Canadiens  5

Recap: Montreal vs. Edmonton

Sports Network | March 11, 2010

Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Andrei Kostitsyn scored in the fifth round of the shootout, lifting the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Kostitsyn's was the only score of the shootout, and came when he beat Devan Dubnyk with a forehand shot low to the left side. Sam Gagner was then wild on a backhand attempt to seal the victory for Montreal, which has won four in a row to equal its longest streak of the season.

Sergei Kostitsyn and Travis Moen each had a goal and assist for the Canadiens, while Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta also scored. Jaroslav Halak made 21 saves in the win.

"We knew before the game that they had nothing to lose, and they wound up strong against us," Halak said. "It was crazy goals against us, but that happens. What counts is that we won the game."

Gagner, Shawn Horcoff, Robert Nilsson and Andrew Cogliano had the goals for the Oilers, who have lost two in a row. Dubnyk made 22 saves.

"We played a great hockey game, we had a lot of jump," Dubnyk said. "Everyone worked so hard. It's a test for me every time I'm out there. In the shootout, I was really comfortable. I felt good tonight even though they had the one goal which beat us."

Montreal held a 3-2 lead going into the third period, which Cogliano opened with a goal just 32 seconds in. Dustin Penner tried a shot by the right post, and Cogliano skated in to stuff the puck past Halak.

Sergei Kostitsyn put Montreal back on top at 8:05, but a little more than a minute later, Horcoff netted the equalizer. He used a screen when blasting a shot from just above the circles, and the puck slipped by Halak's glove at 9:19.

Montreal got a power play in the final minute, but couldn't capitalize in the time remaining or when the game progressed to overtime. The Oilers had a chance to win when Horcoff was sprung on a breakaway in the last minute of the extra session. However, Halak stopped the shot, and the contest eventually went to the shootout, when the teams couldn't initially break through.

Gilbert Brule had a chance to give Edmonton the win, as he shot sixth after the first five players were unsuccessful. However, his shot hit the goal frame at the upper right corner and bounced away.

In a frantic start to the game, Plekanec netted his 20th of the year at 1:20, though Nilsson made it 1-1 just 62 seconds later. Gagner put Edmonton on top with a power-play score at 3:43, but Gionta scored nearly midway through to make it 2-2 after 20 minutes.

Moen had the lone goal of the second period to put the Habs on top.

Montreal was 0-for-7 on the power play, while Edmonton was 1-for-3...The Oilers opened a four-game road trip Thursday, and will also visit the Maple Leafs, Blue Jackets and Wild...Montreal hosts Boston on Saturday...These teams split the two-game season series.