MONTREAL _ The Devils pressured. They just couldn't finish.
To be more precise, they just couldn't get enough traffic to the crease. So Carey Price, the wrong goalie not to screen, saw most of the shots that came his way.
In the end, it cost the Devils in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Canadiens on Thursday night at Bell Centre.
Tomas Plekanec, getting open between the circles after losing defenseman Sami Vatanen, scored the winner at 1:52 of overtime.
The Devils played their first game of the season without leading scorer Taylor Hall (11 goals, 20 assists) after the top-line left wing suffered a right knee contusion in the third period of Tuesday's 5-1 win over the visiting Kings.
Hall, listed as day to day, did not travel to Montreal and did not skate on Thursday, which likely indicates he won't be ready for Friday night's game against the Stars at Prudential Center.
"It's a short-term thing," center Brian Boyle said. "You've got to look at it as an opportunity. The details of the game become more important, especially if you lose a game-breaker like Taylor. But guys go down all the time. You have different guys in and out of the lineup. But you want to do your best and that doesn't change."
Fellow top-six wings Kyle Palmieri (broken right foot) and Marcus Johansson (ankle bruise) also remained out of the Devils' lineup.
Cory Schneider made 34 saves for the Devils (17-9-5) and Price, making his ninth straight start after returning from a 10-game absence from a lower-body-injury, stopped 31 shots for the Canadiens (14-14-4). Each team was 0 for 3 on the power play.
Without Hall, coach John Hynes moved rookie Jesper Bratt to No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier's left side and put veteran Drew Stafford now scoreless in 13 straight games, on the right.
Price turned aside Hischier's short-handed breakaway backhander at 5:18 of the third period.
Before Plekanec's winner, Schneider was able to turn away Jonathan Drouin's shot off an odd-man rush just 43 seconds into the extra period.
The Canadiens had not played since a 6-2 loss to the visiting Oilers on Saturday _ Price was pulled after allowing four goals in 22:24 _ and the rust showed early in the first period as the Devils were able to play long stretches in the offensive zone.
Stefan Noesen extended his career-high point streak to five games by beating Price over his blocker from between the circles at 1:21 on the Devils' first shot of the game with a delayed penalty called against the Canadiens.
Still, the Devils couldn't build on that lead despite numerous chances and Andrew Shaw, getting to the slot and tipping Jordie Benn's blast from the left point, tied the game at 1 at 13:31 of the first period.
