Habs perfect in Markovs returnskip to main content (press enter) CBC Global Header NavigationCBCca News news drop down menu Sports sports drop down menu Radio radio drop down menu TV tv drop down menu My Region drop down menu More drop down menu Watch drop down menu Listen drop down menu Search CBCca Submit Search Sign Up Log In Hockey Headlines Scoreboard Standings Stats NHL Schedule Teams Players Hockey Night in Canada Highlights Fantasy Pool Commonwealth Football Headlines CFL Scoreboard CFL Standings CFL Stats CFL Teams NFL Scoreboard NFL Standings NFL Stats NFL Teams NFL Players Video Alpine Skiing Curling Figure Skating Basketball NBA Scoreboard Standings Stats Teams Players Basketball News Feed Baseball MLB Scoreboard Standings Stats Teams Players Baseball News Feed Soccer MLS Scoreboard MLS Standings International Stats Soccer News Feed Amateur Sports Golf Tennis Story Tools EMAIL PRINT Text Size S M L XL REPORT TYPO SEND YOUR FEEDBACK Habs perfect in Markovs returnLast Updated Sunday December 20 2009 1210 AM ET The Associated Press Montreal coach Jacques Martin said he had so much regard for Andrei Markovs leadership skills that he made the defenceman an assistant captain before the seasonAfter missing more than two months with a leg injury Markov brought more than just intangibles to his first game since October scoring two of Montreals threepower play goals in the Canadiens 30 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday nightJaroslav Halak made 40 saves for his first shutout of the season to help Montreal (16183) snap a fivegame losing streak and start a sevengame trip with momentumHes an allstar defenceman that has great vision and moves the puck well Martin said Its nice to get a top player back Those guys are hard to replace His execution was really outstandingGlen Metropolit scored Montreals final goal late in the third and former Islander MarcAndre Bergeron picked up two assistsMartin Biron countered with 25 saves but the reeling Islanders (13167) still lost for the sixth time in eight games New Yorks power play finished 0for6We need to tweak things to make our power play and penalty killing a momentumbuilder as it should be Biron saidHalak continued his seasonlong mastery over New York Three of his seven wins have come at the Islanders expenseI wasnt giving up many rebounds tonight Halak said We were great on the penalty killing blocking the shots That helped a lotMarkov needed exactly 744 to shrug off the rust after missing 35 games converting Montreals first power play chance off a scramble in frontMarkov returned to action after lacerated tendons in his left foot had kept him out since the season opener The allstar defenceman moved well enough in his return to capitalize on Islanders defenceman Jack Hillens holding penalty marking Montreals first powerplay goal in three gamesObvio...