MONTREAL -- Pascal Dupuis scored on a slap shot from the top of the left circle with 13:21 left in regulation to break a 2-2 tie and give the Penguins a 3-2 victory against Montreal at the Bell Centre tonight.

The victory snapped an 0-1-1 slump for the Penguins and raised their record to 21-10-1.

Sergei Gonchar put the Penguins up, 1-0, at 6:38 of the opening period with his fourth goal of the season and first since the Penguins' 3-1 victory against Montreal Nov. 25.

Gonchar went to the net from the right point and taking a deft backhanded feed from Bill Guerin, who was near the right corner, before beating Canadiens goalie Carey Price. Dupuis got the second assist.

That goal snapped a streak of six consecutive games in which the Penguins allowed the first goal.

Matt D'Agostini pulled Montreal even when he beat Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from near the top of the left circle at 10:48 of the second, and Roman Hamrlik put the Canadiens in front when he scored from around the same area during a power play at 13:38.

Matt Cooke disrupted Montreal's momentum at 17:45, when he deflected a Gonchar shot from the high slot past Price for his sixth of the season.

The second assist went to Jordan Staal.

Montreal had an apparent tying goal by Scott Gomez at 14:08 of the third waved off when it was ruled the whistle had blown before the puck entered the net.

The Penguins will play Florida Saturday at 7:38 p.m. at Mellon Arena.

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