MONTREAL (Ticker) -- Rick Nash continues to show improvement and the Columbus Blue Jackets are showing signs of coming around defensively.
Nash scored a power-play goal with 6:56 remaining in the second period and Marc Denis made 30 saves as the Blue Jackets rallied for a 1-1 tie with the Montreal Canadiens.
The goal was Nash's team-leading ninth, a figure he did not reach as a rookie last season until his 38th game. He also keyed a defensive effort that limited Montreal to two shots in the first period.
The Blue Jackets remained winless on the road (0-5-1-1), where they have allowed 22 of their 30 goals. But their are unbeaten in their last three games overall, matching a season high.
"That's the best road game we played in the last three years," Blue Jackets coach Doug MacLean said. "We played exceptionally well. Both teams were desperate for wins. I think we deserved a better fate."
"It was nice to get another goal tonight, but I would rather have had the win," Nash added. "It was a big point for us, but Montreal played well. Our defense has played well as of late. They have some real strong players on Montreal, but our 'D' shut them down. It was a good part of our game tonight."
The Canadiens came on in the second, getting the first nine shots of the period. But Nash netted his fifth power-play goal of the season to tie it.
Rookie Michael Ryder was the only Canadien to beat Denis as his shot deflected off the stick of Blue Jackets defenseman Luke Richardson at 2:49 of the second.
Just over 10 minutes later, Nash banged in David Vyborny's centering pass from behind the net, getting a point for Denis and the Blue Jackets.
Mathieu Garon got the start for Montreal and turned aside 35 shots.
Columbus matched a season best with 36 shots, including 12 in the first period. But Garon stopped Geoff Sanderson on a partial breakaway with 8 1/2 minutes remaining and Nash shot wide of the net a minute later.
The Blue Jackets' lone defensive lapse led to Montreal scoring first goal for the second straight night. Mike Ribeiro set up Ryder down low, Richardson swiped at the puck and the failed clearing attempt went under the winger's skate and over Denis' right shoulder.
A miscue by Montreal's Steve Begin helped the Blue Jackets square it. Begin was trying to clear the puck near the right corner but kicked it behind the net to Vyborny, who registered his first road point.
As Nash cut across the goalmouth, he took Vyborny's pass, waited for Garon to go down and beat him with a wrist shot to the glove side.
"Nash is having such a great year," MacLean said. "You saw that play how he reached out to score the goal. He got it in the top shelf."
"There was nothing I could do on the goal by Nash," Garon said. "Nash is very a good player. He just waited a split second and then he waited for me again to go down. This guy Nash will be a very good player."
Nash had another chance to score in the third period. With 15:15 to play, he tried a spin move, but defenseman Patrice Brisebois broke up the play by getting his stick between Nash's legs.
While Montreal caught a break in the third, the Blue Jackets got one in overtime.
With two minutes to play, defenseman Sheldon Souray's slap shot from the point struck Denis' glove, got by the Montreal native and trickled wide of the right goalpost.
"We finally had wings under our skates in the overtime period," said Montreal coach Claude Julien, whose team had six shots in the extra session. "It's too bad we didn't start the game that way. We really needed two points instead of one. I really wanted to win this game badly."
Columbus was 1-for-3 on the power play and is 4-for-8 in its last two games. Montreal failed to take advantage of five chances and is 3-for-39 in its last eight contests.
