FRIDAY SPORTSBREAK

Captain Max Pacioretty picked a good time to score his fifth goal of the season. Pacioretty scored the tie-breaking goal 14 seconds into the third period as Montreal beat Carolina 2-1 at Bell Centre. The Canadiens are now 12-1-and-1 at home. The Hurricanes had their five-game win streak snapped.

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The Canadiens announced that defenceman Nathan Beaulieu won’t be joining his teammates on their upcoming five-game road trip. Beaulieu was hit in the neck by a puck in a game Tuesday against Ottawa. Montreal begins its road swing Saturday in Detroit before hitting the west coast for its final four.

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Third-period goals by Chris Wideman and Kyle Turris lifted the Senators over Boston, 3-1. Wideman broke a 1-1 deadlock 6:28 into the third period, less than four minutes before Turris doubled Ottawa’s lead. Craig Anderson stopped 19 shots in the Senators’ second straight win.

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Bo Levi Mitchell led the way for the Stampeders at the CFL awards banquet, being named the league’s outstanding player. Calgary dominated the night. Jerome Messam was named top Canadian, Derek Dennis top lineman and DaVaris Daniels as top rookie. Dave Dickenson of the Stampeders also took home the coach’s award.

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Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown hooked up for three touchdowns and Pittsburgh’s defence shut down the Indianapolis Colts in a 28-7 victory. The Steelers helped their playoff chances with a second straight win and snapped a four-game losing streak on Thanksgiving. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck sat out with a concussion.

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Ten in a row for the Cowboys. Rookie Ezekiel Elliott ran for a pair of scores as Dallas beat the Redskins 31-26 for its franchise-record 10th straight regular-season victory. The 21-year-old had 97 yards to give him 1,199 for the season, which leads the NFL.

(Canadian Press)