MONTREAL — Linemates Tyler Seguin and David Krejci scored in the opening 2:05 of the third period as the Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Wednesday night.

The victory moved the Bruins (7-1-1) into sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division and kept Montreal (6-3-0) from taking over the division lead.

P.K. Subban scored his first of the season on a second period power play for Montreal, which ended a five-game home winning run. Boston outshot Montreal 23-22.

It was a quiet, mostly skirmish-free game for the rivals teams, who stuck to strong positional hockey other than Montreal’s brief letdown in the third period.

The Canadiens did not allow the Bruins a shot on goal until more than 11 minutes into the game, but solid saves from Tuukka Rask kept it scoreless.

Subban broke the deadock at 10:53 of the second with Milan Lucic serving a high-sticking penalty.

The flamboyant defenceman took a pass from Andrei Markov and saw his point shot go off Rich Peverley’s stick and past Rask. It was Subban’s first goal and third point in three games since he ended a holdout by signing a two-year contract.

The goal drew big applause from the Bell Centre crowd as Subban did the leg-lifted “Joel” pose in celebration.

It ended a string of 16 straight penalty kills on the road since the start of the season for Boston.

Seguin tied it only 14 seconds into the third frame as he lifted the puck past Carey Price from the edge of the crease after a feed from Krejci.

The Bruins then went on a rush and Lucic passed in front where the on-rushing Krejci beat Tomas Plekanec to the puck to redirect it into the net at 2:05.

Notes: Price left the ice in a hurry during pre-game warmups after he was hit in the groin area by a Lars Eller shot, but was OK to play. . . Prospect Blake Geoffrion, who fractured his skull in an AHL game at the Bell Centre during the lockout, says he feels better and is to see a doctor in Montreal on Thursday to see when he can resume training. . . Montreal scratched Tomas Kaberle, Ryan White and Yannick Weber. . . Boston was missing Brad Marchand, Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille to injuries.