The New York Islanders needed a win on Thursday to stay within striking distance of the first place Washington Capitals who defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-2.
Anders Lee scored with less than three minutes left in regulation to give the Isles a 2-1 lead over the Montreal Canadiens.
Anders Lee had the game-winner in victory over Montreal – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“These are the tight games you’ve got to have,” Lee said. “You just try to keep winning, keep stacking them on. Obviously this is a team that’s doing the same playoff push that we are, so it’s going to be tight the rest of the way.
“I think it doubles down the importance a little bit. But you start getting to single-digit games left, they’re all huge.”
Thomas Greiss, who made 33 saves, protected the lead over the final minutes for the 2-1 final.
“We can’t control anything outside of ourselves,” Lee said. “The scoreboard watching is always there; you always see what’s going on, but all we can worry about is us and what we have to do.”
Adam Pelech also scored for New York.
“[Pelech] was outstanding,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “He was efficient; obviously he got the goal. I just thought he was really good tonight. He was committed to play firm in the defensive zone and he’s jumping up at the right times. He’s playing with confidence.”
The Habs dropped to 37-27-7 and are tied for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Jordie Benn scored the Canadiens’ only goal.
“We got totally outclassed in that first period,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. “Outmuscled, outraced … you can name it, they were all over us in the first. If you’re a team trying to make the playoffs, you should be really disappointed with that and maybe even frustrated.
“We had a bad first and we ended up the same way we started, with a real bad decision with about three minutes left in the game. It cost us a point, maybe even two.”
[WATCH: All Canadiens vs. Islanders highlights]
Carey Price made 36 saves in the loss.
“I thought the crowd was crazy; the building was rocking,” Price said. “We played a team that looked like they’re ready for the playoffs.”
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