Game 62: Habs gain on Flyers with OT win

It didn't look like it would turn out like this from the start. This was a terrible start for the Canadiens – the Flyers got a shot and a few rebounds on Habs goalie Jaro Halak before Joffrey Lupul finally roofed one to the far side at the 28-second mark..

Life didn't get any easier for newcomer Glen Metropolit, barely in his new No. 15 Canadiens jersey and already at minus-1, when he took a high-sticking penalty three minutes later and forced Montreal to kill a power play.

But that they did, and Metropolit then had a great chance himself, bursting out of the penalty box and making a nice fake before his breakaway shot was gloved by Flyers goalie Antero Niittymaki.

Flyers captain Mike Richards took advantage of miscommunication between the Habs' Roman Hamrlik and Tomas Plekanec, the Montreal defenceman failing with a short pass to the forward. Richards appreciated the giveaway, surely, blasting an unassisted goal past Halak at 8:14 to put the Flyers up 2-0.

Then with lightning reply the Canadiens tied the game with two goals only 17 seconds apart.

Plekanec whipped home his own rebound with Flyers' Braydon Coburn off for hooking; it was Plekanec's sixth goal in the past five games, his 17th of the season.

Tom Kostopoulos, having missed from close in after a terrific deke on the Flyers defence moments earlier, tied it when he stole the puck behind the net and shovelled it past Niittymaki while falling behind the goal line for his seventh.

And then it was Kovalev with his 15th, Montreal's third goal in 2:04, beating Niittymaki when his snap shot hit the Flyers goalie and floated lazily over him to land in the Philadelphia net.

Philly's Simon Gagné tied it at 13:43 of the second period when he blocked a shot attempt by Patrice Brisebois then sprinted the length of the ice on a breakaway, the puck slipping through Halak's pads when the rebound caromed in off Gagné's trailing skate.

Canadiens penalty-killers were perfect on the night, the Flyers going 0-for-8 with the man advantage. Montreal scored twice in their five opportunities. The Flyers outshot their visitors 38-36.

The Canadiens returned home immediately after the game and will entertain the San Jose Sharks Saturday at the Bell Centre.