The Ottawa Senators will have had the Canadiens’ number this season.
Austin Watson and Drake Batherson scored early in the third period and the Montreal club fell 5-2 on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.
The Senators thus swept the season series between the two teams, winning each of the four meetings in regulation time.
The last round was relatively close on Saturday, until the two successes of the visitors at the start of the last third broke the back of the Habs.
Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist, while Shane Pinto and Julien Gauthier also scored for the Senators (28-26-4). Nick Holden had two assists and Mads Sogaard made 29 saves.
Mike Matheson and Nick Suzuki replied for the Canadian (25-30-4), who saw his winning streak cut to two. Samuel Montembeault stopped 17 shots.
The Canadiens will play their next four games away against teams from the Pacific Division. His first stop will be Tuesday in San Jose for a duel against the Sharks.
A jump here or there
The start of the match was not particularly spectacular. Some of the heavyweights set the stage for later by dishing out good shoulders.
The Senators finally opened the scoring with 4:48 to go in the first period. Brassard deflected a shot from Holden into the goal. That play came after a stern call from the linesmen that led to a disallowed icing against the Habs.
The Canadian generated a little more offense in the second period and temporarily took the lead.
Matheson moved the ropes at 4:29 following a nice individual climb.
Suzuki then put the Canadian ahead 2-1 beating Sogaard on the breakaway at 8:46.
A few moments later, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard was unable to take advantage of a pass from Suzuki during a two-man attack against the goalkeeper.
Josh Anderson was the next target of a masterful pass from Suzuki. His one-timer throw wasn’t very clean, however, and Sogaard easily made the save.
The Senators tied the game 2-2 at 1:51 of the second period. Failing coverage from the Canadian in front of his net allowed Pinto to easily deflect a pass from Alex DeBrincat into the back of the net.
The visitors then took control of the game with two goals within 47 seconds early in the third period. Watson deflected a Travis Hamonic shot into the goal at 4:31, then Batherson beat Montembeault with a pinpoint shot at 5:18.
Meanwhile, Suzuki had missed an opportunity to tie the game 3-3 on a breakaway. He had lost his balance attempting a feint in front of Sogaard.
Gauthier scored the knockout blow by beating Montembeault in a 2-on-1 attack with 8:03 remaining on the clock.