New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas, left, celebrates after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period on Jan. 14.The Canadian Press
Casey Cizikas and Anthony Beauvillier scored first-period goals and Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves as the New York Islanders snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Saturday night.
Nick Suzuki scored for Montreal midway through the third.
The Islanders had lost the first two games of their five-game homestand to Dallas and Minnesota after dropping three of four on a Western road trip to start the calendar year.
The last-place Canadiens were coming off a 4-3 home win over Nashville on Thursday but have only three wins in their last 15 games. Montreal has lost eight of 10 and is 3-11-1 since Dec. 12.
Cizikas opened the scoring at 2:25 of the first, beating Canadiens netminder Sam Montembeault for his fourth goal of season. Assists went to Noah Dobson and Cal Clutterbuck. Dobson leads Islanders defencemen with 26 points.
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Beauvilier made it 2-0 at 6:03 with his ninth goal, assisted by defenceman Scott Mayfield and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Suzuki scored his 16th of the season at 9:56 of the third to ruin Sorokin’s shutout bid.
Sorokin has allowed only seven goals in the last six home games. He improved to 15-14-2 this season.
Montembeault made 36 saves in defeat.
The Islanders entered with only two wins over Montreal in their last 12 meetings in New York.