Canadiens clip Ducks in shootout

Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrei Markov scored the game-winner in the sixth round of the shootout, as the Montreal Canadiens claimed a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday at Honda Center.

With the shootout tied 2-2 in the fifth round, Anaheim's Kyle Palmieri ripped a shot from the inner half of the right circle that hit the far post and then the near post before trickling near the goal line and being swept away by Montreal netminder Dustin Tokarski.

Palmieri's shot was originally ruled a goal, but video review showed the puck never completely crossed the goal line.

After the next two shooters came up empty, Markov wristed the puck through Jonas Hiller's five-hole from the slot to send Montreal to its third victory in four tries.

Brendan Gallagher registered a goal and an assist, while Max Pacioretty and Brian Gionta also scored for the Canadiens, who made a splash earlier Wednesday by acquiring sniper Thomas Vanek from the New York Islanders.

Tokarski, making his first NHL start since 2012, made 39 saves to backstop the victory.

"He played unbelievable," Markov said of Tokarski's play. "He made great saves to keep us in the game."

Tim Jackman, Francois Beauchemin, and Daniel Winnik scored for the Ducks, who had won three straight. Hiller posted 28 saves in defeat.

"We came out a little slow and had to start catching up," said Hiller. "We weren't focused enough, starting from me all the way up front."

The Ducks trailed 2-0 after 20 minutes, but scored three straight goals in the second to take the lead.

Jackman tipped-in a Luca Sbisa blast at 7:08 before Beauchemin was credited with a power-play goal at 9:07 when his dump-in from just behind the red line took a strange carom off a stanchion along the left midboards and slid into the empty net with Tokarski waiting behind the cage where he thought the puck was heading.

Winnik briefly put the Ducks on top with his third of the season at 18:11, but Gallagher put home a rebound from the low left side just 1:13 after to retie the tilt.

Montreal outshot Anaheim 9-7 in the third thanks to a pair of power-play chances, but Hiller held the Habs off the board to force overtime, which saw both teams manage just three shots before heading to a shootout.

Gionta got the visitors on the board 8:23 into the game when he pounded one home from the low right side, and Pacioretty doubled the edge just over four minutes later when he buried a one-timer off a slick cross-ice feed from David Desharnais.

Game Notes

Tokarski's last start came on March 19, 2012 as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning ... Anaheim forward Teemu Selanne missed the game with the flu ... Montreal sent forward prospect Sebastian Collberg to New York for Vanek, who had 21 goals and 32 assists over 60 games with the Islanders ... Montreal went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Anaheim finished 1-for-6.