Kovalev Lifts Canadiens in OT

Alex Kovalev scored a power-play goal 2:30 into overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins tonight and a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. Kovalev drove a slap shot past Tim Thomas from the left side as Montreal took advantage of consecutive penalties to Boston's Shawn Thornton and Jeremy Reich. Game 3 is tomorrow night in Boston.

Montreal has won 13 in a row against Boston, which claimed just one point,  a shootout loss, out of a possible 16 in losing eight regular-season games against the Canadiens this season. Roman Hamrlik scored late in the first and Canadiens rookie Sergei Kostitsyn scored his second goal in as many playoff games 1:30 into the middle period to put Montreal up 2-0. (More NHL stories.)