Chara double helps Bruins rally past Canadiens

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-15 09:27

BOSTON: The Boston Bruins eased to a 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in a meeting of the Northeast Division's top teams on Tuesday, Zdeno Chara sparking the win with a pair of goals to back up Tim Thomas's 34-save effort.

Defenseman Chara leveled the score 8:23 into the second period before putting the division-leading Bruins ahead for good 10 minutes later, both markers coming during a powerplay.

David Krejci assisted on Chara's second tally and added an insurance goal late in the third period. He now has 31 assists and 17 goals for the season.

Andrei Kostitsyn collected Montreal's goal, scoring early in the second period to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage, before Boston's triple strike without reply snapped a four-game winning streak for the Canadiens

The defeat also allowed Boston to stretch their lead over Montreal to 12 points.

Oilers 5, Capitals 2

At Washington, Erik Cole had three goals, Gilbert Brule added a goal and an assist, and the Edmonton Oilers beat Washington 5-2 on Tuesday night, handing the Capitals their third consecutive loss.

Dwayne Roloson made 34 saves and Steve MacIntyre scored his first NHL goal for the Oilers, who won their second straight game. It was Edmonton's first victory on the road against the Capitals since Jan 26, 1997 at USAirways Arena in Landover, Md.

Mike Green had a goal and an assist and Tomas Fleischmann also scored for Washington, which lost a second straight home game for the first time this season and is now 18-3-1 at Verizon Center. The three straight losses match a season high.

Senators 5, Hurricanes 1

At Ottawa, Dany Heatley, Dean McAmmond and Mike Fisher scored as Ottawa beat Carolina to stop a five-game losing streak.

Heatley, who was replaced by Fisher on Ottawa's first power-play unit, scored his first goal in nine games early in the first before McAmmond ended a 21-game drought midway through the opening period to put the Senators up 2-0.

Antoine Vermette added Ottawa's third goal with 26 seconds remaining in the second and Fisher scored on a power play midway through the third for his first goal in 20 games. Chris Phillips scored his fourth goal with 4:47 remaining.

Agencies