MONTREAL — Without recently acquired forward Thomas Vanek, the Islanders played and lost their second game in less than 24 hours.
The Canadiens took advantage of the fatigued Islanders, whose penalty-killing woes on the road trip continued as Montreal went 2 for 5 with the man advantage, in a 4-2 victory.
The Isles killed off only nine of 17 penalties in the four games. Vanek sustained an upper-body injury in Saturday night’s 5-2 loss in Columbus, and did suit up for the game.
Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller each had a goal and two assists, and the Canadiens ended a four-game losing streak with the victory.
Their linemate, Brendan Gallagher, and Michael Bournival also scored to help Canadiens coach Michel Therrien earn his 250th NHL win.
Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brock Nelson had the goals for the Islanders, who ended a four-game road trip without a point. Montreal had a 31-26 advantage in shots.
After a scoreless first period, Gallagher was sent in on the right side and beat backup goalie Kevin Poulin with a wrist shot 1:46 into the second.
Bouchard got it back when his shot from the top of the left circle beat Carey Price at 7:23, ending a string of 21 penalty kills over six games by the Canadiens.
Fatigue set in late in the period for New York and Eller one-timed Galchenyuk’s cross-ice pass for his first goal in 13 games. Bournival tipped in Raphael Diaz’s point shot from the slot at 19:04.
Nelson closed the gap to one goal on a power play 4:10 into the third when John Tavares’ pass went in off his skate at the edge of the crease.
Gallagher caused a turnover in the New York end and started a tic-tac-toe play that ended with Galchenyuk redirecting the puck under Poulin at 10:37.