DeBrincat Helps Blackhawks To 3-1 Win Over Montreal

MONTREAL (AP) -- Alex DeBrincat scored his first NHL goal and set up one for Artem Anisimov to help the Chicago Blackhawks spoil the Montreal Canadiens' home opener with a 3-1 victory on Tuesday night.

Brandon Saad also scored for Chicago (3-0-1), which was coming off an overtime loss Monday night in Toronto.

Tomas Plekanec scored for Montreal (1-3-0), which has lost three in a row and scored only four goals in as many games. The Canadiens went 0 for 5 on the power play and are now 0 for 14 for the season.

Montreal outshot the Blackhawks 42-25.

The Canadiens had a 16-7 shot advantage in the opening period but Chicago emerged with a 2-1 lead.

Plekanec picked off a Ryan Hartman pass in the Blackhawks zone, wheeled and scored on a wrist shot inside the near post 1:15 into the game.

Patrick Sharp intercepted a Jordie Benn clearing attempt and fed DeBrincat for a one-timer that beat Carey Price at 17:53. Only 19 seconds later, Saad got this fifth goal of the season on a tap-in while finishing a three-man rush with Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik.

DeBrincat made the decisive pass that Anisimov finished with a tap-in on a power play 10:44 into the second frame.

The Blackhawks drafted the 5-foot-7 DeBrincat 39th overall in 2016. The 19-year-old was voted top player in the Ontario Hockey League last season when he scored 65 goals for the Erie Otters.

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