Veteran Montreal defenseman Patrice Brisebois retired Thursday after 18 seasons in the National Hockey League. Brisebois, a Montreal native, played in the 1,000th game of his career last season. He can hang up his skates today knowing that he had a great career and he was lucky to experience all that

Carey Price made 28 saves Tuesday, backstopping the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Kovalev, Guillaume Latendresse and Andrei Markov scored for the Canadiens, who have won three of their last four games. Montreal is one point ahead of Florida for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Jason Spezza scored two of Ottawa's three unanswered goals in the first period Thursday night and the Senators held on to edge Montreal 5-4. Brian Elliott made 28 saves to pick up his seventh straight victory.

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.

Maxim Lapierre scored the deciding shootout goal Tuesday to hand the Montreal Canadiens a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. After both clubs scored in the first round of the extra period, Montreal goalie Carey Price blocked a shot by Vaclav Prospal, who scored in regulation for the Lightning.