Canadiens battle Panthers

Montreal will play the second of six games on the road against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

• RELATED: Game Day: Montreal at Florida

Cristobal Huet has started seven consecutive games in net for Montreal. (CP Photo)

On Tuesday, Chris Higgins scored two goals to pace Montreal to a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders. Rookie Alexander Perezhogin, Craig Rivet and Michael Ryder also scored.

Saku Koivu and Sheldon Souray each had three assists, while Cristobal Huet made 32 saves in his seventh consecutive start in net.

Despite the win, coach Bob Gainey is looking for a better effort from his team against Florida.

"By the time we started showing some life late in the second period, we had been outshot and outplayed by a wide margin," he told the Montreal Gazette. "I can't say I was pleased with the way we played."

Montreal (27-22-8) currently occupies the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Atlanta. The Canadiens have two games in hand on the Thrashers.

Montreal has won four of their last six games, with both defeats coming after regulation.

Florida (23-27-8) are tied for 12th, eight points back of the Canadiens.

The Panthers hammered Tampa Bay 8-2 on Tuesday in their first game back from the Olympic break. Chris Gratton, Olli Jokinen and Joe Nieuwendyk each had a pair of goals

Martin Gelinas and Joel Kwiatkowski also scored, with Roberto Luongo setting aside 32 shots in net.

Gratton has six goals and six assists during a five-game point streak.

Jokinen, who can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, is highly coveted by most NHL teams, but isn't looking to move.

''My No. 1 place is here with the Panthers, and I hope we get everything done,'' Jokinen told the Miami Herald. "It's tough to think about playing somewhere else, to put on another jersey. I've been with the Panthers a very long time, and I want to be here in the future. A lot of things are out of my control, but I can control playing hard.''

The Canadiens have won two of the three games between the two clubs this season.

Montreal will return to the ice against Tampa Bay on Saturday.