MONTREAL (AP) — Filip Chytil had two goals and the New York Rangers scored three times in less than six minutes during the second period to beat the skidding Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Thursday night.
Chris Kreider had a short-handed goal and defenseman Braden Schneider also scored for the surging Rangers, who won their third straight and improved to 11-2-1 in their past 14 games.
Jaroslav Halak made 17 saves.
Chytil’s first goal made it 3-0 at 13:27 of the second, 59 seconds after Schneider scored. Chytil added a power-play goal into an empty net with 70 seconds left in the third.
Joel Armia scored his first goal of the season 14:46 into the third for the Canadiens, who have lost seven games in a row.
Jake Allen stopped 27 of 30 shots.
After a scoreless opening period that included a total of 10 shots between the teams, Kreider broke the ice 7:43 into the second.
Montreal’s bottom-ranked power play continued to struggle when an errant pass from Juraj Slafkovsky was intercepted by Kreider, who made no mistake converting the breakaway.
Schneider doubled the lead at 12:28 with a point shot into the top corner of the net.
New York did not stop there, padding its lead on Chytil’s shot off a pass from Ryan Lindgren.
Montreal came out firing in the third period, creating a handful of strong chances early to no avail.
The Canadiens finally ended Halak’s shutout bid when Armia hopped on a bouncing puck in the slot with 5:14 remaining.
Chytil sealed it with his 11th goal, an empty-netter with 1:10 left.
GALLAGHER STILL OUT
A Canadiens team desperately lacking veteran leadership was without one of its most senior players: Brendan Gallagher sat out with a lower-body injury. The winger has missed 14 of the club’s 39 games.
SPECIAL TEAMS WOES
Montreal’s 32nd-ranked power play failed to convert on its lone opportunity but conceded its first short-handed goal of the season. The Canadiens have failed to score on nine of their last 10 power plays.
UP NEXT
Rangers: At the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon.
Canadiens: Host the St. Louis Blues in the second game of a four-game homestand Saturday night.
