OTT@MTL: Game Recap

MONTREAL - The Canadiens were handed a 6-3 loss by the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.

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Winger Tyler Toffoli returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with a lower-body injury.

Goaltender Carey Price was back in action after being given Thursday night off at the Canadian Tire Centre. It was his fourth outing of the season against the Senators.

The Canadiens didn't get off to the start they were looking for. Alternate captain Brendan Gallagher was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking just 28 seconds into the first period.
With Gallagher in the penalty box, the Senators opened the scoring when Brady Tkachuk slid the puck under Price at the 42-second mark.

It was Tkachuk's 12th goal of the season, which snapped a six-game drought.
Dominique Ducharme's squad responded on a power play opportunity of their own.
Toffoli celebrated his return by lighting the lamp at the 5:31 mark of the frame, burying a perfect feed from Nick Suzuki with a one-timer upstairs on Senators starter Anton Forsberg. It was Toffoli's 19th goal of the season.

Captain Shea Weber also collected an assist on the play.
D.J. Smith's contingent took the lead again with 7:53 left in the stanza while short-handed.
Winger Connor Brown jumped on a rebound off a shot by Nick Paul to put Ottawa ahead again 2-1. It was the second tally the Canadiens have allowed while down a man this season.

Brown extended his goal streak to three straight games.
That's the way things stood after 20 minutes. The Canadiens held a 14-13 advantage in the shots department.
Montreal tied things up 2-2 just under seven minutes into the second period when winger Josh Anderson snapped a perfect shot past Forsberg from the top of the circle.

It was Anderson's 12th goal of the season, ending a five-game goal drought.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Victor Mete collected helpers on the play.
The Senators retook the lead 51 seconds later when forward Evgenii Dadonov tipped a point shot from defenseman Thomas Chabot past Price.

It was Dadonov's eighth goal of the season, ending an eight-game goalless streak.
The Senators doubled their advantage with 3:56 remaining in the period courtesy of Dadonov, who was left all alone in the slot and made the Canadiens pay for the defensive mistake.
It was Dadonov's second goal of the night.

Anderson responded for Montreal with 1:12 left before the intermission with his second goal of the game. The Burlington, ON native jumped on his own rebound to make it 4-3.
It was Anderson's third multi-goal game of the season.

Suzuki and Weber each collected their second helpers of the night on the goal.
Montreal trailed by one after 40 minutes. The Canadiens led 26-22 in shots at the break.
Centreman Artem Anisimov gave Ottawa a two-goal lead again at the 2:55 mark of the third period, capitalizing on a turnover in front of Price.

It was his third goal of the year.
Forward Drake Batherson capped the scoring for the Senators with an empty-netter to make it 6-3 for Ottawa.
It was his 12th goal of the season.
Price made 26 saves in the loss.
The Canadiens will be back in action on Monday night when they host the Edmonton Oilers at the Bell Centre.