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Gallagher puts Canadiens ahead in 4-1 win over Stars

By The Associated Press

MONTREAL (AP) — The biggest ovation at the Bell Centre didn’t come for Carey Price’s stellar goaltending or for Brendan Gallagher’s tiebreaking goal. It was for an assist by veteran defenseman Andrei Markov.

By flipping a pass to Artturi Lehkonen for a one-timer that beat Kari Lehtonen in Montreal’s 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, Markov moved into a tie with Hall of Famer Guy Lapointe for second in career points by a Canadiens defenseman with 572, behind only Larry Robinson’s 833.

When the assist was announced, the sellout crowd rose and applauded the Russian who has been a stalwart on the Montreal defense since 2000-01.

“I couldn’t think of a guy that’s more deserving,” captain Max Pacioretty said. “In the years I’ve played with him, he’s overcome so much adversity.

“I’m so happy for him. He’s probably the best player I’ve played with.”

Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov also scored for Montreal, which won a second game in a row. Price finished with 27 saves.

Curtis McKenzie scored for Dallas, which ended a four-game points streak. The Stars were playing for the first time since learning they had been eliminated from playoff contention. Kari Lehtonen had 32 saves.

Price and Lehtonen each needed to make a handful of excellent saves to keep the game close until Montreal broke it open with three third-period goals.

Gallagher put Monreal ahead 2-1 at 3:31 of the third as he got the puck, broke down the left side and beat Lehtonen with a high wrist shot inside the near post.

Even the much-anticipated Benn vs. Benn matchup turned out to be a snooze, as the Stars’ Jamie Benn and Montreal defenseman Jordie Benn — acquired from Dallas in February — were only on the ice at the same time for a few brief moments in their first game against one another. The longest stretch was during a third-period Dallas power play.

“I skated by him on the bench once and punched him in the glove, but that’s as close as I got to him,” Jamie Benn said. “Losing is not fun, but playing against him was pretty fun.

“Not sure if we even had a shift together, but he looks good in the red and blue. We’ll probably remember that one for a while.”

The Stars dominated the opening minutes, outshooting Montreal 6-0, and got the first goal at 1:47 when McKenzie picked off a pass, fired a shot off the end glass and put the rebound into an open side.

The Canadiens got 15 of the next 16 shots on goal but it took until 15:49 of the second to tie the score as Pacioretty took a feed from Phillip Danault and saw his backhand shot trickle through Lehtonen’s equipment for is 34th.

Lehkonen wired an off-wing shot inside the far post from distance at 13:02 of the third to put Montreal ahead 3-1. It came off a clever, space-opening pass Markov is known for.

“He’s just got such a good mind for the game,” Pacioretty said of Markov. “The little techniques of how he holds his stick in certain situations, the passes he makes. … I said I never want him to retire because that’s at least 10 goals a year. I think a lot of the left shots feel the same way because he’s always finding us on the off wing. There’s no one better at it.”

Claude Julien remembers Markov from his first stint as Canadiens coach from 2003-06 and said he hasn’t changed much.

“Like me, he had a lot more hair then,” Julien said. “But he’s the same player. … He prepares well and he takes his job to heart. He’s a really good example to our young players.”

Radulov elected to shoot on a 2-on-1 and scored on a backhand with just over two minutes remaining.

NOTES: Canadiens backup G Al Montoya suffered a lower body injury in practice this week. Zach Fucale was called in from Brampton of the ECHL to take Montoya’s place. … Montreal’s Nikita Nestorov and Brian Flynn returned from injuries this week but aren’t yet ready to play. … The Stars were without injured skaters Patrick Sharp, Antoine Roussel, Jiri Hudler and Jamie Oleksiak.

UP NEXT

Stars: At Boston on Thursday night in the third game of a five-game trip.

Canadiens: Host Florida on Thursday night in the finale of a six-game homestand.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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