Derick Brassard of the Ottawa Senators looks on as Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens makes a pad save in overtime at Canadian Tire Centre on March 18, 2017 in Ottawa.Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images
Paul Byron and Alexander Radulov scored in the shootout as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3 Saturday night in the first half of a home-and-home series.
The two teams will have little time to regroup as they face off Sunday night in Montreal.
With the win, the Canadiens (40-23-8) take a two-point lead over the Senators (39-23-8) for first in the Atlantic Division.
Andrew Shaw, Philip Danault and Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal in regulation as Carey Price made 28 saves.
Derick Brassard, Ryan Dzingel and Erik Karlsson scored for the Senators as Craig Anderson, who had missed the past two games with a lower-body injury, made 29 saves.
There had been some debate Saturday morning as to who would start for the Senators, as it remained questionable whether Anderson was fit to play.