Canadiens 4, Canes 2

The Montreal Canadiens controlled the first period Thursday and the Carolina Hurricanes dominated the second at PNC Arena.

That left it up to one of them to take charge and win the game in the third period, and it would be the Canadiens, who won 4-2.

Lars Eller's goal with 13:51 left in regulation pushed the Canadiens (15-5-4) ahead 3-2, and P.K. Subban's power-play goal gave the Habs a two-goal cushion with 12:04 remaining.

Brandon Prust and Eller each had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens, who lead the NHL's Northeast Division. Josh Gorges also scored and had an assist for the Habs,who got 42 saves from Carey Price.

The Hurricanes (13-9-1), who again had Justin Peters in net, had a four-game winning streak come to an end.

Trailing 2-0 after the first period, Carolina showed plenty of jump and speed in an increasingly physical second period to gain a 2-2 tie. Trailing 2-0 after the first period, the Canes showed plenty of jump and took control in an increasingly physical second period to gain a 2-2 tie.

Jordan Staal and Drayson Bowman scored in the second for the Canes, who had 21 shots in the period and peppered Price.

"The first 10 minutes of the game we didn't have our best, but the last 10 minutes of the first we were coming on and carried it into the second," Peters said. "We had a lot of momentum going into the third. But they capitalized on their chances and turned the tide of the game."

Staal scored after Justin Faulk held the blue line, knocking down the puck and passing to Staal in the right circle. Staal's goal with 13:53 left in the period was his sixth of the season and second in the past three games.

Bowman scored his second of the season on a bullet of a shot from the left circle with 9:33 left in the period that went under Price's glove. Jeremy Welsh, recalled Thursday from the Charlotte Checkers (AHL), made the pass to Bowman to earn his first NHL point.

The Canes had a chance to take the lead when Eric Staal was awarded a penalty shot with 5:08 left in the second after being hooked by Yannick Weber on a shorthanded breakaway. But Price was able to get a piece of Staal's forehand attempt.

"In the second period we gave up, I believe, 21 shots and of those 21 shots, 11 were scoring chances," Habs coach Michel Therrien said. "(Price) deserves a lot of credit for the win. He was a true leader out there."

The Canes' top line of Eric Staal, Alex Semin and Jiri Tlusty had their chances in the game but was kept off the scoring sheet.

The Canadiens, who shut out the Canes in their first meeting this season, continued to frustrate Carolina in the first period.

Montreal had a 2-0 lead after goals by Brandon Prust and Josh Gorges. Prust scored off a rebound of an Alexei Emelin shot just 3:22 into the game after a scrum in front of Canes goalie Justin Peters.

Gorges' score came four-on-four and less than a minute after Price made a nice glove save on an Alexander Semin shot. Gorges was able to get behind the Canes defense, took a pass from Prust and knocked a shot past Peters.

The Canes came to life late in the period after Habs defenseman Yannick Weber slammed Jeff Skinner into the boards, incensing the Canes and the crowd. Jordan Staal went after Weber, drawing a roughing penalty.

The Canes were outshot 17-14 in the period after the Habs controlled the first 10 minutes. Winning nearly every faceoff in the offensive zone, the Habs kept possession of the puck and pressure on Peters.

Peters is making his second straight start after being recalled this week from the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).

Centers Riley Nash and Tim Brent were not available for Carolina. Nash was sidelined with flu-like symptoms and Brent has been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

The Habs beat the Canes 3-0 in Montreal on Feb. 18 with Peter Budaj in net.