Canadiens top Ducks to end skid

Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) - Tomas Plekanec had one goal and two assists to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Bell Centre.

Michael Bournival and Brian Gionta each notched a goal and an assist, while Rene Bourque also lit the lamp for the Canadiens, who had dropped two straight entering the contest. Carey Price made 31 saves in the victory.

"We picked up two points tonight against a team that was supposed to beat us. It is a big win for us after that loss to the Oilers. We have to keep it up," said Plekanec.

Patrick Maroon scored the lone goal for the Ducks, who fell to 2-3-0 on the road this season. Jonas Hiller allowed all four goals on 25 shots in the setback.

Anaheim forward Saku Koivu, who served as the Canadiens' captain from 1999-2009, returned to Montreal for the second time in a Ducks' uniform.

"When you lose, you never expect to be a post game star. It was emotional, the whole building was behind me," he said. "I felt great, it was amazing. The game didn't go the way we wanted it to go because we didn't play our game."

Nathan Beaulieu fired a slap shot from the point and Bournival was there to redirect the disc past Hiller to give the Canadiens a 1-0 lead 11:39 into the game.

Plekanec made the Ducks pay for a turnover in their own zone nearly five minutes later. Bournival intercepted a pass and fired it across the ice to Plekanec, who one-timed it off the post and into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

With a two-man advantage near the midpoint of the second, Gionta hammered home a rebound 11:49 into the middle session to give the Habs a comfortable three- goal lead.

Maroon tallied his first goal of the season near the midway point of the final period. Nick Bonino forced a turnover near center-ice and quickly took the puck into the Montreal zone. With a 2-on-1 advantage, Bonino flipped the disc to Maroon, who ripped a wrister into the back of the net.

Bourque added a power play goal with 7:21 left to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

Montreal snapped a three-game home losing streak to Anaheim ... The Canadiens were without a number of key players due to injuries. Forwards Danny Briere, Max Pacioretty, George Parros and Brandon Prust and defensemen Davis Drewiske, Alexei Emelin, and Douglas Murray were all inactive ... Montreal will host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday ... The Ducks will visit the Ottawa Senators on Friday.