Habs' P.K. Subban says producing 'best way to shut people up'

MONTREAL -- After his coach blamed him for a loss earlier this week, Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban set out to "shut people up." He helped end the Canadiens' three-game skid in the process.

Subban had two assists and Paul Byron scored in the fifth round of a shootout to lift the Canadiens over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Friday night.

Coach Michel Therrien blamed Subban for Montreal's loss to Colorado earlier this week, and Subban caught flak in both the social and regular media. He seems to have the backing of the fan base, though, with supporters chanting his name as this game began.

"Our fans have always been here for us, but as for critics and people who want to pick apart what goes on in this dressing room, I expect to hear that," Subban said. "I've been here long enough to know that the best thing to do is go out and perform and produce, and that's the best way to shut people up.

"There are a lot of people that are going to shut up after today."

Subban assisted on goals by Dale Weise and Max Pacioretty for Montreal. He led his team with 30:55 of ice time, much of it in the third period after defenseman Tom Gilbert left with a lower-body injury. He was plus-1 for the game.

"I always feel I play my best hockey when people want to pick me apart, both my character and on the ice," Subban said. "I just want to be better every day for my team and teammates.

"I want them to have the trust in me that when I go on the ice that I can get the job done."

Pacioretty's goal on a third-period power play sent the game into overtime, but the Canadiens captain topped that with a game-saving goal in the shootout. After Nick Cousins scored on the Flyers' first shot, Pacioretty had to score to keep Montreal's hopes alive.

The Flyers' Shayne Gostisbehere had an assist on Michael Raffl's goal to extend his point streak to 14 games, an NHL record for a rookie defenseman. It's the league's longest active streak, and the Margate, Florida native is the first defenseman since Brian Leetch from Oct. 30 to Dec. 1, 1996 with points in 14 straight games.

"I just saw an opportunity to jump up and I screamed (Scott) Laughton's name about 10 times," he said. "I was just happy he heard.

"I was actually going to shoot it first but then I saw (Raffl) there on the back door."

Cousins and Raffl had Philadelphia's goals, and Michal Neuvirth stopped 29 shots.

Mike Condon made 35 saves for Montreal.

Montreal got the first goal when Weise passed in front and the puck went off defenseman Nick Schultz and past Neuvirth at 2:56.

Only 20 seconds later, Cousins' long wrist shot from the left boards handcuffed Condon to tie it.

Raffl put Philadelphia ahead 3:15 into the third frame when he was at the doorstep to redirect Gostisbehere's pass after Tomas Plekanec's pass was picked off at the blue line.

Flyers star Claude Giroux's third penalty of the game proved costly when Pacioretty scored from the right circle on a power play at 8:35.

Game notes

Montreal announced center David Desharnais will miss three weeks with a fractured foot. ... Tomas Fleischmann was scratched for a second straight game. ... The Flyers' Scott Laughton got into a game for the second time in the past five. Sam Gagner, Jordan Weal and Brandon Manning sat out.