Andrei Markov produced a goal and an assist Thursday night to keep the Montreal Canadiens hot with a 3-2 victory over Nashville. The Canadiens have won five out of six and eight out of 10, but remain a dozen points behind the leading Boston Bruins in the Northeast Division. Guillaume Latendresse and Andrei Kostitsyn scored the other Montreal goals and Jaroslav Halak made 23 saves in his seventh consecutive start. Kostitsyn put the Canadiens in front for good at 2-1 with a power-play goal midway through the second period. J.P.

Montreal's Andrei Markov got the only goal of a shootout Sunday and the Canadians won for the fourth time in five games, downing the Florida Panthers 6-5. Markov, following failed attempts by five other shooters, backhanded the puck past Florida goalie Craig Anderson. Andrei Kostitsyn notched two goals,