Devils 3, Canadiens 2 (SO): Jacob Josefson and Patrik Elias scored in the shootout as host New Jersey ended its season-high six-game winless streak (0-4-2).

Montreal failed to snap a 2-2 tie despite enjoying a five-minute power play in the second period, a 5-on-3 edge for 33 seconds late in the third and a man-advantage opportunity in overtime. Josefson's wrist shot sailed over Dustin Tokarski's glove in the second round of the bonus format and Elias followed Keith Kinkaid's pad save on David Desharnais with a nifty deke before sliding the puck into the net in the third round to end the contest.

Reid Boucher and Stefan Matteau each scored for their first respective point of the season for the Devils, who salvaged the finale of the three-game season series. Kinkaid turned aside 31 shots to improve to 1-2-0 against the Canadiens this season.

Defenseman Jeff Petry scored for the third straight contest and Tomas Plekanec added a power-play tally for Montreal, which moved two points ahead of second-place Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division despite falling for the fifth time in six contests (1-2-3). Tokarski made 16 saves in dropping to 1-3-3 in his last seven starts.

Matteau cleaned up the rebound of defenseman Adam Larsson's shot midway into the first period to open the scoring, but Plekanec's blast from the upper edge of the right faceoff circle sailed over the shoulder of a screened Kinkaid five minutes later to forge a tie. Petry's wrist shot from the point with 3:18 left in the session put Montreal ahead before defenseman Jon Merrill's shot from the point was redirected home by Boucher 4:37 into the second to level the contest.

GAME NOTEBOOK: New Jersey C Scott Gomez responded to a check from Montreal D Alexei Emelin with an elbow to the face, resulting in a five-minute major and a game misconduct late in the second period for the former Canadien. ... Plekanec has recorded four goals in three meetings with New Jersey this season. He scored once in Montreal's 4-2 road win on Jan. 2 and twice in the team's 6-2 home triumph on Feb. 7. ... Matteau's goal was his first since Feb. 9, 2013 against Pittsburgh, while Boucher's tally was his first since Jan. 16, 2014 versus Colorado.