MONTREAL (AP) 鈥� Sean Monahan scored twice and Josh Anderson broke a 27-game goal drought dating to last season with an empty-netter that sealed the Montreal Canadiens' 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday night.
With Montreal up 3-2, and Seattle pressing, Anderson floated the puck from his own zone and into the Kraken鈥檚 net with 32 seconds left.
Anderson said he focused on getting back to the basics instead of worrying about his drought in the past couple weeks.
鈥淚 just said 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to get back to the way you鈥檙e playing, you鈥檙e in this league for a reason,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淛ust go out there and do your thing, don鈥檛 focus about scoring, and just try to get back to your game and things will take care of themselves.鈥�
Tanner Pearson also had a goal for Montreal (11-11-3), which won its first game at home since Nov. 11.
Samuel Montembeault made 31 saves in his first start since signing a three-year, $9.45 million contract extension with the Canadiens. He looked sharp early and robbed Kraken forward Alex Wennberg on two separate occasions with left-pad saves on the doorstep.
鈥淭here were a lot of distractions the last couple days, a lot of messages, so I wanted to put that behind me quickly,鈥� said Montembeault. 鈥淢y legs felt good tonight.鈥�
Vince Dunn, with a goal and an assist, and Jared McCann scored for Seattle (8-12-6), which lost its fifth straight game. Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots.
Monahan opened the scoring at 4:03 of the first period after Jake Evans forced a turnover. Pearson doubled Montreal鈥檚 lead 3:12 into the second period by burying a rebound.
Monahan scored his second on the power play to make it 3-0 at 6:58 of the second.
He had gone 14 games without scoring, but was focused on Anderson.
鈥淭he guys are happy for Andy, he鈥檚 been through some tough times to start here,鈥� said Monahan. 鈥淵ou get a win on home ice, he gets his first and yeah, it feels good.鈥�
Seattle cut into the deficit as McCann fired a wrist shot past Montembeault at 14:05 of the second for his team-leading 12th goal.
Dunn brought the Kraken to within one with a slap shot over Montembeault鈥檚 right shoulder on the power play 4:49 into the third, but Seattle heads home from a four-game road trip without a point.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really unacceptable to come out with nothing,鈥� Dunn said. 鈥淲e see how well we can play so maybe we (can look at that) and understand how close we are, but 小蓝视频 close doesn鈥檛 cut it, it doesn鈥檛 win you games, it needs to be complete and it鈥檚 definitely not even close to that right now.鈥�
Veteran forward Brendan Gallagher played in his 700th NHL game, all with the Canadiens. Montreal drafted Gallagher in the fifth round, 147th overall, in the 2010 draft. He has 207 goals and 198 assists and is the 27th player to reach the 700-game milestone in franchise history.
UP NEXT
Kraken: Kick off a six-game homestand against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.
Canadiens: Wrap up a four-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
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