NHL PLAYOFFS : Carbonneau Lifts Canadiens

Guy Carbonneau scored at 12:34 of overtime as the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Islanders, 2-1, Thursday night for their record-tying 11th consecutive playoff victory.

The Canadiens took a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Wales Conference final and can advance to the Stanley Cup finals with a victory over the Islanders on Saturday.

Only two teams in NHL history have come back from 3-0 deficits in the playoffs--the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and 1975 Islanders.

“We worked so hard, and with all our efforts, we find ourselves in a huge hole,” Islander center Ray Ferraro said.

The Canadiens tied the playoff winning streak record for one season, set by the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks last year.

The Canadiens’ seven overtime victories is a record for the playoffs.

Patrick Roy had 31 saves for the Canadiens, including those on hard shots from the slot by Steve Thomas and Ferraro shortly before Carbonneau won it with his third goal of the playoffs.

Mathieu Schneider started the winning play by passing from the right wing to Benoit Brunet in the middle of the ice. Brunet passed the puck to Carbonneau, who beat Glenn Healy with a 25-footer from the left side. Healy got part of the puck, only to see it bounce behind him into the net.

After a scoreless first period, the Islanders took a 1-0 lead at 1:36 of the second on a goal by Pierre Turgeon.

The Canadiens’ Vincent Damphouse scored on a rebound from the slot with 5:14 to play in regulation to send the game into overtime.