MONTREAL (AP) Kaiden Guhle scored the unassisted game winner in overtime to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.

“Like every team you have some off games, but our good is really good. When we’re on top of it, we can beat any team in the league,” Guhle said.

Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher also found the back of the net for Montreal (7-5-2), which beat Boston (11-1-2) for the first time since the 2019-2020 season.

“It’s a group decision and a group effort to get back in a game and get something out of it,” said Canadiens coach Martin St Louis. “You have to understand the way you need to carry yourself on the ice every game to give yourself the best chance of winning. It doesn’t guarantee a win, but you understand what is needed to be done with and without the puck.”

Pavel Zacha deflected a point shot from Charlie McAvoy past Montreal goalie Samuel Montembeault and into the top corner just 36 seconds into the game to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Montembeault had 26 saves.

Montreal’s best chance to equalize in the first period came when Sean Monahan and Gallagher found themselves on a two-on-one, with the latter hitting the post from a tight angle.

The Canadiens scored two goals just 27 seconds apart in the first minute of the third period for a 2-1 lead.

Suzuki’s shot from the right side drew them level 24 seconds in. Gallagher jumped on a rebound in the crease and scored Montreal’s second goal 51 seconds into the period.

“It was a great 60 minutes. We couldn’t score in the first two periods, but we just kept fighting,” said Suzuki. “They’re a really hot team with a lot of great players. It’s definitely satisfying that all the work you’re putting in gets rewarded … I think we deserved that win.”

“I think the first two minutes were a microcosm of the two periods," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. "We were lucky to be in the position we were in. We had players in moments playing OK, but for the majority it looked like it was a team thing, not an individual thing. So we have to look at what we’re doing to internally to get rest and have energy for games.”

Boston thought it had the equalizer when Oskar Steen deflected a shot from the point. However, after Montreal challenged the play the goal was waved off because of goaltender interference.

After failing to score on a 5-on-3 power play, Brad Marchand got on loose puck at the back post to tie it at 2 with a power-play goal. Jeremy Swayman finished with 24 saves for the Bruins.

UP NEXT

Bruins: At Buffalo on Tuesday night to finish a two-game trip.

Canadiens: Host Vancouver on Sunday night in the second of a four-game homestand.

---

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl