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MONTREAL (Ticker) -- Jeff Hackett did nothing to defuse a potential goaltending controversy in Montreal. Hackett made a diving save on Mats Sundin in overtime and finished with 32 stops as the Montreal Canadiens settled for a 2-2 tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After spoiling the Detroit Red Wings' home opener Thursday with a 30-save performance, Hackett earned his second straight start in place of Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Jose Theodore. He surrendered a tying goal to defenseman Tomas Kaberle with 8:15 left in regulation but prevented a loss in the extra period. Just 45 seconds into overtime, Hackett lost his stick but dived right and managed to get his arm on Sundin's point-blank shot. "I don't know how I stopped Sundin in overtime," Hackett said. "It was just like picking a fish out of water." "I just couldn't beat Hackett in overtime," Sundin said. "I went one way and he went the same way. He is just like a goalie in soccer. He robbed me. I'm not going to sleep tonight, I'm going to think about that possible goal all night." Asked about his starter for Tuesday's game against Pittsburgh, Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said he would decide Monday. "Hackett is in great shape. I love his attitude," Therrien added. "I'm pleased with the way Jeff Hackett is playing. Jose Theodore is working very hard in practice." Richard Zednik and Andreas Dackell scored second-period goals for the Canadiens, who still have not won a home game (0-2-1) since the Molson Centre was renamed the Bell Centre. "Hard to explain," Montreal captain Saku Koivu said. "We were embarrassed against Buffalo and Philadelphia, but at least we got a point." Travis Green had the other goal for Toronto and Ed Belfour stopped 29 shots after missing four games with an infected right thumb. The Maple Leafs were trailing, 2-1, when Mikael Renberg took a hooking penalty with 10:07 to go in regulation. With eight seconds to go on the power play, Kaberle got a pass from Sundin and wristed a shot from the left faceoff dot that beat Hackett to the stick side. "We took a chance, we had a 3-on-2 breakaway," Kaberle said. "It worked. I saw a spot and I took a shot at it. I realized we were shorthanded, but we ended up tying the game. That was a big point for me." "I've got to look at Kaberle's goal," Hackett said. "I think it hit a guy before it went in." Green scored the only goal of the first period, snapping a shot from the right dot over Hackett's right shoulder at 5:02. Montreal nearly tied it 4 1/2 minutes later, but Koivu's shot hit the crossbar and Belfour prevented the puck from crossing the goal line. The Canadiens got even 94 seconds into the second period as Richard Zednik circled out from behind the goal, drew Belfour out of the crease and threw the puck at the net. It ended up trickling between the legs of Maple Leafs defenseman Karel Pilar, one of three players piled up in the crease. Montreal grabbed the lead at 7:19 off a turnover by Sundin. Dackell got the puck back from Jan Bulis at the edge of the left circle and wristed a shot off Belfour's right arm and into the net for his second goal. |
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