Latendresse scores in OT for Canadiens

Guillaume Latendresse scored 3:18 into overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.

Latendresse put Maxim Lapierre's pass into an open left side to give Montreal its first home overtime win this season. The Canadiens improved to 1-5 in non-regulation games at the Bell Centre, and 5-8 overall.

Patrick Lalime stopped 34 shots for Chicago, which extended its season-high losing streak to six (0-5-1).

Andrei Markov, voted a starting defenseman for his first All-Star game earlier in the day, drew the Canadiens even at 3 with his 11th goal on a power play 8:04 into the second.

Saku Koivu opened the scoring with his eighth goal 4:22 in, and assisted on Patrice Brisebois' power-play goal late in the first that put Montreal up 2-1.

Cristobal Huet made 25 saves for the Canadiens, who were previously 0-1 at home in overtime, a 5-4 loss to Washington on Saturday. Montreal is 0-4 in shootouts at the Bell Centre.

Robert Lang and Kris Versteeg scored goals 18 seconds apart early in the second to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead.

Chicago's Jack Skille scored his first career goal 5:46 into his fifth game.

Blackhawks coach Denis Savard joined Chicago legends Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito in a pre-game ceremony honoring the 82-year rivalry between the two "Original Six" teams.

Hall of Famers Henri Richard, Guy Lafleur, Yvan Cournoyer and Ken Dryden represented the Canadiens, who'll be celebrating their franchise centennial in 2009.

Linesman Pierre Champoux had to leave the game 5:41 into the third after he was cut when he was struck in the face by the puck on a dump-in by Montreal's Francis Bouillon.

Champoux held a towel over his eyes and his forehead as he was helped off the ice by Canadiens trainer Graham Rynbend.

Latendresse initiated the play that led to Koivu's opening goal when he took the puck off Blackhawks rookie Patrick Kane in the left corner early in the first. Latendresse passed to Koivu, who cut across the goalmouth and deked Lalime before putting a backhand shot into the net off the right post.

Skille tied it at 1 just 1:24 later when he put a rebound past Huet for his first NHL goal.

Lalime made a right pad stop 9:46 in on Mark Streit's penalty shot, a short-handed opportunity that was protested by Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith.

Streit, moved from defense up to forward with Brisebois' return to the lineup, was awarded the penalty shot after he was hauled down on a breakaway. Keith complained in vain because stickless Canadiens penalty killer Tom Kostopoulos jumped on him while he was down on the ice trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone.

Brisebois, back after missing 11 games with a right shoulder injury, beat Lalime with a fluttering shot from the point for his second goal at 17:13.

Lang tied it at 2 with a power-play goal 2:27 into the second. Versteeg put Chicago up 3-2 at 2:45 when he was left alone between Brisebois and defense partner Roman Hamrlik to poke in a puck that Huet believed he had covered up.

Notes:@ Former Blackhawks stars Steve Larmer, Al Secord and Eric Nesterenko were also introduced during the ceremony. Former captain Vincent Damphousse also represented Montreal, along with Marcel Bonin and Murray Wilson. ... Skille is the sixth Blackhawks rookie to score his first career goal this season, along with Versteeg, Kane, Jonathan Toews, Dave Bolland and Jacob Dowell. ... Canadiens C Corey Locke made his NHL debut. Recalled from Hamilton of the AHL for the second time this season earlier in the day, Locke was supposed to play his first game Dec. 30 in New York but his luggage never arrived and Montreal was one player short for a 4-3 overtime loss to the Rangers. ... G Jaroslav Halak, also recalled from Hamilton, backed up Huet.