ONTREAL - When the Montreal Canadiens needed him most, Alex Kovalev delivered.

The team's regular-season scoring leader scored on a blast from the left side during a power play 2:30 into overtime to help Montreal to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins in the NHL playoffs on Saturday night.

The Canadiens lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final 2-0 heading into Game 3 on Sunday night in Boston.

Montreal has now won all 10 meetings with Boston this season and 13 in a row overall, but this was the toughest of all as the Bruins erased a 2-0 Montreal lead in the third period on goals from Peter Schaefer and David Krejci to force overtime.

"It was a tight game where whoever got the bounce would win," said Kovalev, who is serving as captain in place of the injured Saku Koivu. "We expected them to come out better and they did.

"We have to be more patient and not open up too much. And most of all, stay out of the penalty box."

Roman Hamrlik scored in the first period and rookie Sergei Kostitsyn, with his second of the playoffs, got one in the second for Montreal, which needed solid goaltending from Carey Price as they were outshot 39-31.

Boston spent nearly the entire overtime short-handed. After killing a double high-sticking minor to Shawn Thornton that carried over into extra time, Jeremy Reich was then sent off for tripping Andrei Markov.

Kovalev, stymied for two straight games from his usual set-up spot on the right side, moved over the left to accept a pass from Markov and drill a high shot off Zdeno Chara's stick and over goalie Tim Thomas' shoulder on the man advantage.

That atoned for a slashing call Kovalev took after flubbing a short-handed breakaway, which allowed Krejci to tie the game during a two-man advantage at 9:34 of the third period.