BOSTON, April 18 (UPI) -- Donald Audette scored three goals and Saku Koivu added two assists as the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens defeated the top-ranked Boston Bruins, 5-2, Thursday night in the opening game of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
Audette, who missed 49 games with a career-threatening lacerated left forearm, scored 2:18 into the third period to snap a tie and give the Canadiens a 3-2 lead.
Defenseman Andrei Markov carried the puck into the Boston zone and down the slot before dishing a backhanded pass to Audette low in the right faceoff circle. Audette headed toward the net, deked goaltender Byron Dafoe and deposited a backhander into the open cage for his second tally of the game.
Acquired from Dallas in November, Audette completed the hat trick midway through the third period.
After picking up a loose puck on the right side of the net, Audette fired a shot from a bad angle that hit a sprawled Dafoe and bounced over the goal line. After being reviewed by the replay officials, the goal stood and the Canadiens had a two-goal lead.
Koivu, who returned to action April 9 after missing most of the season with non-Hodgkin's intra-abdominal lymphoma, looked none the worse for wear, assisting on two of Audette's tallies.
Yanic Perreault added three assists for Montreal, which is making its first playoff appearance since 1998.
Jose Theodore stopped 30 shots for the Canadiens, who have lost their last four playoff matchups with Boston.
Joe Thornton had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who finished the regular season atop the Eastern Conference with 101 points.
