NHL ROUNDUP : Canadiens Win to Avert Sweep at Home by Senators

Paul DiPietro and Gilbert Dionne, recent residents of Coach Jacques Demers’ doghouse, emerged as the stars of the Montreal Canadiens’ 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.

DiPietro tied the score at 10:27 of the third period on a pass from Dionne, and Dionne scored with 24 seconds left after DiPietro won a faceoff.

The Canadiens avoided the humiliation of being swept at home by Ottawa this season. The Senators had won the two previous games at Montreal’s Forum.

Both got more than their usual ice time after center John LeClair left the game because of bruised ribs in the second period.

“The guys who don’t get a lot of ice time did a big job,” said Demers, who coached his 800th NHL game. “When LeClair got hurt, we had to change up the lines.”

Dionne’s goal was his first in 11 games and gave him 18 for the season.

“It did me a lot of good to get that goal,” Dionne said. “It wasn’t good that I had gone 11 games without scoring, but what really bothered me was that I had dropped to minus-7.”

Brian Bellows scored in the first period for Montreal, which ended a three-game winless run and moved into a tie for first place with Pittsburgh in the Northeast Division.

Troy Murray and Evgeny Davydov scored for Ottawa, which is last overall in the 26-team league.

Dallas 5, Florida 4--Dave Gagner scored twice as the Stars took control with four consecutive goals in the second period at Miami.

Defenseman Doug Zmolek and wing Russ Courtnall also scored in the second period as Dallas turned a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead.

The loss prevented the expansion Panthers from moving into sole possession of seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Vancouver 3, Toronto 2--Murray Craven’s goal with 63 seconds left in overtime lifted the Canucks at Vancouver.

The Maple Leafs’ Wendel Clark scored his 41st goal with 27 seconds left in regulation to tie it.