Shea Weber scored the tiebreaking goal in Montreal's four-goal third period and the Canadiens rallied for 5-2 win over Ottawa on Saturday night, beating the Senators for the third time in 12 days.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Matthew Peca each had a goal and an assist, and Paul Byron and Jonathan Drouin also scored for the Canadiens. Carey Price stopped 16 shots to win his fifth straight.
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Ottawa Senators left wing Mikkel Boedker (89) celebrates with teammate Mark Stone after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during second-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Ottawa Senators center Colin White (36) scores against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (79) is stopped by Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Ottawa Senators goaltender Mike McKenna looks back at the puck after Montreal Canadiens' Matthew Peca scored during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens right wing Andrew Shaw (65) collides with Ottawa Senators left wing Tom Pyatt (10) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Colin White and Mikkel Boedker scored for the Senators, who were coming off a 4-2 win against Detroit the previous night. Mike McKenna, 35, started in place of Craig Anderson and finished with 42 saves.
Ottawa Senators left wing Mikkel Boedker (89) celebrates with teammate Mark Stone after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during second-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Each of Montreal's recent wins against Ottawa have been by identical 5-2 scores.
Kotkaniemi tied it 2-2 at 2:06 of the third as his wrist shot rang off the iron, then hit McKenna in the back and trickled across the goal line.
Montreal appeared to take the lead when Phillip Danault put the puck behind McKenna, but the goal was waived off after Artturi Lehkonen was called for embellishment seconds before. A loud chorus of boos rained down on the Senators, and referees, for the rest of the period.
Ottawa Senators center Colin White (36) scores against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Those boos turned into deafening cheers when Weber put the Canadiens ahead just past the midpoint of the period with aa powerful snap shot from the left faceoff dot for his fourth.
Byron made it 4-2 with 6 1/2 minutes left when he redirected Kotkaniemi's shot past McKenna. Drouin sealed it with an empty-netter nearly four minutes later.
With his second goal in as many games, Peca got the Canadiens on the scoreboard at 3:39 of the first.
Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (79) is stopped by Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal's lead was extremely short-lived, with White tying it 20 seconds later with his ninth. It came seconds after Brady Tkachuk appeared to trip Price with his stick, and the Canadiens challenged the goal for goaltender interference but the call on the ice stood.
Heavily outworked in the second, the Senators scored on their first shot of the period at 9:11. Confusion between Jordie Benn and Noah Juulsen behind their own net led to Boedker's fourth.
NOTES: The Senators dropped to 2-4-1 in their past seven games. ... Canadiens coach Claude Julien earned his 600th career victory. ... Price improved to 25-9-5 all-time versus Ottawa.
Ottawa Senators goaltender Mike McKenna looks back at the puck after Montreal Canadiens' Matthew Peca scored during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
UP NEXT
Senators: Host Nashville on Monday night.
Canadiens: Host Boston on Monday night.
More AP NHL: www.apnews.com/NHL and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports
Montreal Canadiens right wing Andrew Shaw (65) collides with Ottawa Senators left wing Tom Pyatt (10) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) — Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions entered the season with their sights set on the Super Bowl. Finishing a frustrating year by beating their division winner was at least some consolation.
Goff led five scoring drives, Jake Bates kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired and the Lions regrouped to beat the NFC North champion Chicago Bears 19-16 on Sunday after blowing a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.
“It feels good to kind of get back to who we are and see it in live-speed reality,” Goff said.
What doesn't feel good? Missing the playoffs.
“It’s frustrating,” coach Dan Campbell said. "So that’s what fuels you. We don’t want to be doing that again next year. That’s not where we want to be. We have got to get in.”
The Bears (11-6) stumbled into the playoffs with back-to-back losses, though they secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC with Washington beating Philadelphia. Chicago will host Green Bay in a wild-card game next week and would have home-field advantage in the divisional round if it beats the Packers.
“We’re going to use this frustration,” said Caleb Williams, who set the franchise’s single-season passing record. “We’re going to get on a roll here this week, starting this week and that’s the focus.”
Williams threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Bears wiped out a 16-0 deficit.
The Lions (9-8) started the final drive at their 37 after Chicago punted on fourth-and-5 at the 31. Bears coach Ben Johnson considered going for the first down but decided against it, figuring he had three timeouts and would probably get the ball back.
That didn't happen, and Detroit ended a disappointing season on a winning note when Bates nailed a 42-yarder. A 26-yard pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown helped set up the field goal and Detroit came out on top after losing three in a row.
Goff shook off his worst game of the season by throwing for 331 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The four-time Pro Bowler completed 27 of 42 passes after setting season highs with two interceptions and three fumbles and matched one by getting sacked five times last week at Minnesota.
St. Brown had 139 yards on 11 receptions. Gibbs ran for 80 yards and had a touchdown catch. Avonte Maddox intercepted Williams in the end zone in the third quarter.
“I still believe the nucleus of this team is right,” Campbell said. “I really do. But we are going to need to make a few changes. Not just talking about that. It will be collectively. We’re going to have to work through some things to get the best version of ourselves.”
Williams threw for 212 yards, giving him 3,942 this season to surpass Erik Kramer’s franchise mark of 3,838 in 1995. Chicago remains the only team without a 4,000-yard passer.
Colston Loveland caught 10 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Byard had his league-leading seventh interception.
“They fought their tails off, but came up short,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to play better going forward, we’ve got to coach better going forward as well and we’re turning the page, though. We got the No. 2 seed, we’ve got a home game next week and we’ve got a new season on the horizon. Our guys should be reinvigorated by that. I know I certainly am.”
The Bears hadn’t made the playoffs since 2020. But they won the division in Johnson’s first season after finishing last a year ago.
Chicago trailed 16-0 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter when Williams connected with Jahdae Walker for a 25-yard touchdown and broke Kramer’s record. A 2-point conversion run by Kyle Monangai cut it to 16-8.
After the Lions punted, Chicago went 88 yards for a touchdown, with Williams finding Colston Loveland in the end zone from the 1. A lunging Cole Kmet then hauled in the 2-point conversion pass in a crowd, tying it at 16 and whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
The Lions then had the ball at the Chicago 35 when Goff attempted to zip a pass to St. Brown. The Bears’ Jaquan Brisker tipped the ball and Byard picked it off at the 5.
Lions: WR Tom Kennedy (rib) was hurt returning a punt in the third quarter.
Bears: The Bears held out LT Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad) after he was limited in practice during the week. ... LB Ty Summers (foot) left after he was injured on the opening kickoff. ... C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion) left after he was hurt on the winning drive.
Lions: Start the offseason.
Bears: Host Green Bay in a wild-card game next weekend.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates celebrates after kicking a field goal on the final play of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates (39) kicks a field goal on the final play of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) runs up field after catching a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is sacked by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs from Detroit Lions linebacker al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) runs from Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
