MONTREAL (AP) -- Sean Burke gave the Tampa Bay Lightning the kind

of goaltending they're going to need to have any chance to defend

their Stanley Cup title.

Burke made 31 saves and Montreal-area natives Vincent Lecavalier

and Martin St. Louis scored to lead Tampa Bay to a 2-1 victory over

the Canadiens on Monday night.

The Lightning snapped a two-game losing streak to move a point

ahead of Montreal for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with

72 points.

Burke lost his shutout bid when Mike Ribeiro scored a power-play

goal with 2:22 remaining, but the Lightning held on for their

second win in seven games.

"Every night you have a new opportunity and tonight was nice

just to put some of that other stuff behind us," the 39-year-old

Burke said.

Lecavalier scored his 28th goal 11:52 into the second, ending

Canadiens goalie Cristobal Huet's shutout streak at 163 minutes, 11

seconds.

"We really played 60 minutes, and we played hard for 60,"

Lecavalier said. "They played a great game. They had some great

chances, great opportunities, it was a good hockey game for both

sides. Both teams were working really hard and it happened that

this we came out on top and we'll definitely take that."

Making his 14th consecutive start, Huet was coming off

consecutive shutouts, including a 1-0 win over the New York Rangers

on Saturday night.

St. Louis, the NHL's leading scorer and MVP in 2003-04, scored a

short-handed goal with 17 seconds left in the second to reach 20

goals for the third straight season.

"We haven't won too many 2-1 games lately so it's nice to get

those and feel confident," St. Louis said.

Montreal had won two straight and earned points in 11 of its

previous 12 games.

"That's a tough loss," Huet said. "They're a direct opponent

for a spot in the playoffs and we let that one slip away in the

second period."

Lecavalier opened the scoring midway through the second when he

took Vaclav Prospal's pass on a 2-on-1. Huet appeared to stumble as

he cut across his crease to adjust to Lecavalier and then collapsed

to the ice when Lecavalier's shot beat him.

"I saw somebody behind me so I just shot right away,"

Lecavalier said. "I didn't even know. I guess Some guys told me

that he kind of tripped a little bit, so I guess it was good luck

for me."

On St. Louis' goal, Huet got a piece of the shot but not enough

as the puck hit off his left shoulder and popped behind him.

Burke, who was 0-3 in his last four games with a 5.13 GAA and an

.810 save percentage, made 17 saves in the third as the Canadiens

outshot the Lightning 18-9.Game notes
The Lightning avoided a season series sweep. The Canadiens,

who won the first three meetings between the two teams this season,

have swept a season series from Tampa Bay once. Montreal won each

of its four games against the Lightning in 1997-98. ... Montreal

has allowed four short-handed goals this season.