Bruins beat Canadiens, 3-2, for fifth win in a row

BOSTON — David Krejci scored off his skate to break a second-period tie, and Tim Thomas stopped 33 shots on Monday night to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Benoit Pouliot and Brad Marchand also scored for the Bruins, who have won five in a row and 19 of 22 since losing back-to-back games to Montreal at the end of October.

Carey Price made 28 saves and Tomas Plekanec scored for Montreal, which lost its third straight game — its second in a row since coach Jacques Martin was fired and replaced by Randy Cunneyworth.

The Canadiens have lost nine of their last 12, a streak that cost one of the NHL’s winningest coaches his job and left them in last place in the Northeast Division.

Boston led 3-1 when Montreal pulled Price and cut the deficit to one.

After a turnover in the Boston zone, David Desharnais shot from the right circle and Erik Cole tipped it past Thomas. The Canadiens, again with a six-on-five edge, put pressure on for the final minute but Chris Campoli’s shot on an outnumbered Thomas hit a Montreal player in front.

Dennis Seidenberg hit the post of the empty net with less than a second to play.