Goalie Bishop has two assists as Lightning top Canadiens 5-3 for season sweep

MONTREAL — Goalie Ben Bishop assisted on two goals and Vladislav Namestnikov scored twice as the Tampa Bay Lightning downed Montreal 5-3 to complete a season series sweep of the Canadiens on Monday night.

Bishop started plays that set up breakaway goals by Namestnikov and Jonathan Drouin in the second period. Nikita Kucherov also scored for Tampa Bay (47-23-7), which moved to one point back of Montreal for top spot in the Atlantic Division.

The Lightning won all five games this season against the Canadiens, outscoring them 21-8. Montreal swept them in the first round of playoffs last spring.

Max Pacioretty, Jeff Petry and P.K. Subban scored for Montreal (47-22-8), which was outshot 31-13 through two one-sided periods and 44-28 overall but managed to keep it close until Anton Stralman’s empty-net goal in the final minute.

Bishop was the first goalie to record two assists in a game since Ryan Miller did it for Buffalo on Feb. 25, 2014. The NHL record of three was set by Calgary’s Jeff Reese against San Jose on Feb. 10, 1993.

Only 1:24 into the second, Bishop caught Montreal on a line change as he hit Steven Stamkos with a pass to the far blue-line to send Namestnikov in alone to score.

Pacioretty tied it shorthanded at 4:24 when he one-timed Tomas Plekanec’s pass.

Another Bishop stretch pass had Drouin break in alone to deke Carey Price at 4:47. The Bolts intercepted a clearing attempt and Kucherov swiped Namestnikov’s pass in at 18:07.

Petry scored from the point 23 seconds into the third frame, but Ondrej Palat sent Namestnikov in to beat Price with a wrist shot at 6:21.

Subban set up a wild finish when he wired one in from the point on a power play with 3:50 left to play.

Price fell short in his bid to tie Jacques Plante and Ken Dryden for the Canadiens record of 42 wins in a season.

Notes _ A 4-0 loss Saturday to Detroit left the Lightning shorthanded. Defenceman Jason Garrison is out 3-to-4 weeks, Andrej Sustr for 1-to-2 weeks and forward Tyler Johnson is day-to-day, all with upper body problems. There was concern for Cedric Paquette, but he was able to play. The Bolts sent Jonathan Marchessault to AHL Syracuse. . . Among Montreal scratches were Devante Smith-Pelley and Sergei Gonchar. Tom Gilbert is out day-to-day with a fractured jaw.