Julien’s Debut Spoiled in Loss

Nik Antropov used a simple and effective plan to score the first overtime goal of his career.

Antropov scored his 12th of the season 56 seconds into overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs spoiled Montreal Coach Claude Julien’s NHL debut with a 3-2 victory over the Canadiens on Saturday night at Montreal.

After Montreal tied the score with 7:06 left in regulation, Antropov took the puck the length of the ice before firing a shot from the slot off goalie Jose Theodore’s left shoulder and into the net to give Toronto its third straight win.

“In overtime I know a lot of guys just shoot the puck and good things happen, so I did,” Antropov said.

Trailing, 2-0, after the first, the Canadiens came back on Yanic Perreault’s goal late in the second and Mariusz Czerkawski’s score 12:54 into the third to force overtime.

“I said if we got a goal, we could make it 2-1 and be back in it, and we did that, and we managed to do it again in the third and get ourselves a point,” said Julien, promoted from Hamilton of the American Hockey League on Friday.

Julien, who had no previous NHL coaching experience, replaced Michel Therrien, fired after the Canadiens lost 10 of 12 games.

Ottawa 5, Washington 2 -- Daniel Alfredsson and Radek Bonk scored two goals each at Ottawa and the Senators won their fifth straight game.

The Senators had a sellout for the second time in three games since majority owner Rod Bryden appealed for more fan support after the club filed for bankruptcy protection.

Boston 7, Columbus 2 -- Glen Murray, Jonathan Girard and P.J. Axelsson scored 2:48 apart in the second period and the struggling Bruins won at Boston.

Joe Thornton, Mike Knuble, Bryan Berard and P.J. Stock scored Boston’s other goals. The Bruins won for only the fourth time in 19 games (4-14-1) after opening the season 19-4-3-1.

Florida 3, Pittsburgh 0 -- Roberto Luongo stopped 35 shots for his second consecutive shutout as the Panthers won at Sunrise, Fla.

With his fourth shutout of the season, Luongo tied John Vanbiesbrouck’s team record of 13 career shutouts. It was the first time a Panther goalie has recorded consecutive shutouts.

New Jersey 5, Carolina 2 -- Patrik Elias scored twice at East Rutherford, N.J., and the streaking Devils matched their season high with three power-play goals.

Michael Rupp, John Madden and Turner Stevenson also scored as the Devils extended their season-high unbeaten streak to seven games (6-0-1). It was New Jersey’s second victory over the Hurricanes in as many nights.

St. Louis 4, Chicago 2 -- Eric Boguniecki set up two goals in a 44-second span of the third period to lead the Blues at St. Louis.

Martin Rucinsky benefited from Boguniecki’s forechecking and beat rookie goalie Michael Leighton at 4:17 of the third to break a 1-1 tie. Alexander Khavanov scored on a one-timer off Boguniecki’s setup from behind the net at 5:01.

Nashville 3, Edmonton 2 -- Andy Delmore scored 3:35 into overtime and the Predators rallied to win at Edmonton, Canada.

Delmore beat Jussi Markkanen from the slot for his 15th goal, to lift the Predators to their fourth straight road victory over the Oilers. Vladimir Orszagh forced overtime by scoring with 1:02 left in regulation.

Philadelphia 3, Tampa Bay 2 -- Michal Handzus scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:23 left to lift the Flyers at Philadelphia. Mark Recchi and Kim Johnsson each had a goal and an assist, and Robert Esche had 12 saves for the Flyers, who held Tampa Bay to a season-low 14 shots.

Dallas 3, San Jose 1 -- Jason Arnott had a goal and an assist at San Jose for the Stars, who hadn’t played in a week and extended their unbeaten streak to 10 games (8-0-2).

Buffalo 1, Phoenix 0 -- Curtis Brown scored a short-handed goal early in the third period and Martin Biron had 30 saves for the shutout at Phoenix.