MONTREAL — Brian Gionta and Michael Cammalleri scored during two separate two-man advantages and the Montreal Canadiens forced a decisive Game 7 in their first-round playoff series with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
Game 7 is Wednesday night in Boston, with the Bruins looking to beat Montreal for only the ninth time in 33 postseason series.
Dennis Seidenberg scored for Boston, which played more than half the game without ejected winger Milan Lucic but still outshot the Canadiens 32-27.
Boston had taken the lead in the closely contested series with consecutive overtime wins, but couldn't get the equalizer behind a sharp Carey Price — who made 31 saves — despite outshooting Montreal 11-6 in the third period.
Tim Thomas stopped 25 shots for the Bruins.
It was a nervous game for both teams and referees Kevin Pollock and Chris Lee, with spotty passing and missed opportunities on both sides.
The crowd of 21,273 booed as a Montreal goal 3:27 in was disallowed due to a quick whistle. Scott Gomez's dump-in was misplayed by Thomas and lay clearly open beside him as Gionta slipped it in the net.
Cammalleri was the catalyst for the opening goal as he threw the puck toward the Boston bench and caught the Bruins with too many men on the ice, then had his stick slashed in two by Seidenberg for a two-man advantage. Cammalleri one-timed a pass from P.K. Subban inside the near post from the right circle at 10:07.
The Bruins struck back with the teams each down one man only 48 seconds into the middle period as Seidenberg came out from behind the net and lifted it inside the post.
Montreal got another two-man advantage when Lucic was given a major for boarding and a game misconduct for a hit from behind on Jaroslav Spacek, who turned at the last second and was cut when his face hit the glass. Only 16 seconds later, Patrice Bergeron shot the puck over the glass for a delay-of-game call.
Gionta put Montreal ahead when he knocked in a rebound at 5:48.
Spacek returned later in the period and the Bruins had to juggle their lines without Lucic, who does not appear likely to face further discipline.
Boston's Brad Marchand wasted a glittering chance when he couldn't find the handle on Zdeno Chara's pass with half the net open on a late power play.
Notes
Cammalleri got his 16th goal and an assist for 28 points in 25 playoff games as a Canadien. … Montreal C Lars Eller left early in the first after apparently hurting a wrist but returned late in the period. … As expected, James Wisniewski took the warmup but didn't play. Paul Mara played defense and Yannick Weber went in for injured David Desharnais, who will miss 4-6 weeks with a sprained left knee.