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Carolina Hurricanes Erik Cole (R) is checked by Montreal Canadiens Hal Gill (75) during second period NHL hockey action in Montreal, February 26, 2011. REUTERS/Christinne MuschiCHRISTINNE MUSCHI/Reuters

Andrei Kostitsyn's power-play goal at 16:07 of the third period earned the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.

Kostitsyn batted Roman Hamrlik's point shot past Cam Ward during Montreal's only man advantage of the game.

Michael Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec each had a goal and an assist and Lars Eller also scored for the Canadiens (33-23-7), who have won two of their last three after posting just one victory in seven games. Montreal is 3-0-0 against Carolina this season.

Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu and Cory Stillman scored for the Hurricanes (29-25-9), who were coming off a 4-1 win over Pittsburgh on Friday night.

Carolina outshot Montreal 31-27.

Newly acquired defenceman Brent Sopel was busy early in his first game for Montreal, helping kill a four-minute high-sticking minor to Scott Gomez. That had just ended when Jiri Tlusty beat Alex Auld to a puck behind the net and fed it in front for Jokinen, who scored his 100th career goal at 7:25.

Plekanec fed Cammalleri in the left circle, where he snapped a shot past Ward at 13:48. Kostitsyn's hit on Brett Carson freed up the puck, which was fed in front for Eller and he put the Canadiens ahead at 16:53.

A Chad Larose shot hit Sopel's leg then in off Ruutu's skate 2:10 into the second but Plekanec countered with his 20th of the season at 5:13, giving Montreal three goals on its first 10 shots on Ward.

Stillman scored in his second game since returning to Carolina in a trade from Florida, beating Auld at 10:49.

Auld made a second straight start in goal for Montreal because Carey Price, who backed up, had the flu. Auld was sharper than in Thursday's 5-4 loss to Toronto when he was pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots.

The Canadiens begin a three-game road trip Monday in Atlanta.

NOTES -Sopel bumped Paul Mara from the lineup and speedy forward Tom Pyatt played for the first time in five games in place of the more physical Ryan White for Montreal. . . Plekanec has five straight 20-goal seasons. . . Hurricanes captain Eric Staal did not dress due to an upper body injury suffered Friday against Pittsburgh. He is expected back Tuesday against Florida. Montreal-area native Jerome Samson got an assist in his first game at the Bell Centre and his sixth this season for the 'Canes. . . Twelve of Carolina's 18 remaining games are at home.

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