MONTREAL — The Islanders had all the energy, and they came out with a victory over the listless Canadiens.
Evgeni Nabokov made 19 saves for his fourth shutout this season, and Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson scored power-play goals late in the second period as the Islanders won 2-0 on Thursday night.
“We outworked them,” Matt Martin said. “They played [Wednesday] night and we were a little fresher than them and we had some young legs in the lineup.
“We tracked hard.”
The Islanders posted their first regulation win in four games, but improved to 7-2-2 in their last 11 games.
The Canadiens, coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in Chicago on Wednesday, came out flat and never got their energy up as they were outshot 30-19.
“It’s no fun losing at this time, but sometimes, you’re just not good enough,” said Thomas Vanek, who was traded to Montreal by the Islanders last month. “You have to give them credit, and at the same time, we [stunk]. The coaches prepared us and, I don’t know if it was tired legs or we were mentally not there or both, but overall they kept skating hard and putting pressure on us and we didn’t have a push back.”
The Islanders held a 9-2 shots advantage early in the opening period, but couldn’t beat Carey Price, even when the Canadiens goaltender wandered halfway up the left boards and then misplayed the puck.
But Canadiens defenseman Douglas Murray, who returned from a three-game suspension, was ejected at 10:52 of the second period for a check from behind on Johan Sundstrom. The Islanders rookie turned around just as Murray checked him at the side of the net into the end boards.
Sundstrom was injured and taken to a hospital for tests. Coach Jack Capuano said Sundstrom likely would be kept in the hospital for observation and not travel with the team back to New York.
“It was a tough one,” Capuano said. “[Murray] is not that type of player. It’s one he’d probably like to have back. Hopefully our guy will be all right.”
The Islanders used the ensuing power play to open the scoring as Strome put a shot past Price through a screen by Casey Cizikas from the right circle at 15:07.
With Vanek off for high-sticking, Nelson whipped a shot under the cross bar from close range at 19:40.
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said only Price’s solid goaltending kept the score close.
“It was bad performance for our team,” Therrien said. “Every aspect of our game wasn’t sharp.”