TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The Montreal Canadiens are so used to dealing with injured players that another one hasn't stopped their playoff push.

Patrice Brisebois snapped a 21-game goal-scoring drought with two third-period goals as the Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 Sunday night and moved into eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

"We needed that win badly," Brisebois said. "I think the guys battled hard, gave everything they've got and you see the result after."

Montreal concluded a four-game road trip 1-2-1.

Jeff Hackett stopped 29 shots as the Canadiens moved one point ahead of Buffalo in the race for the Eastern Conference's final postseason berth.

"It was a must-win," Hackett said. "We found a way. It was a tough game. We weathered the storm and I thought the third period we played outstanding."

Montreal was without scoring leader Martin Rucinsky, who is day-to-day with back spasms. The forward, who has 23 goals and 46 points, was hurt in Montreal's 4-2 loss Saturday night to Florida.

The Canadiens, who have lost Trent McCleary, Saku Koivu, Trevor Linden and Eric Weinrich for the season, entered with a league-high 505 man-games lost.

"I've never seen a team so badly hit by injuries and every time it's our key players," Brisebois said. "It's tough when you battle for a playoff spot. We've struggling a bit, but we bounced back."

Brisebois' first goal came on a wrist shot from just inside the blue line at 6:35 of the third period. His second was a slap shot from the right point on the power play at 10:49.

The Lightning dominated the opening two periods -- outshooting Montreal 23-9 -- but needed a short-handed goal from Brian Holzinger late in the second period to tie it 1-1.

The goal was Holzinger's first with Tampa Bay -- in his sixth game -- and first in 20 games.

Tampa Bay has lost four straight and are 2-11-1 in its past 14 games. The Lightning are winless in eight home games (0-6-2) against Montreal.

"When you lose, sometimes it becomes a habit," Lightning coach Steve Ludzik said. "I can't knock my guys. The only thing I can knock is we get a bad goal scored on us and it really deflates our team."

Dainius Zubrus had the lone first-period goal for Montreal. It was the forward's first in 18 games.

Tampa Bay defenseman Pavel Kubina missed the game with a bruised heel. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam Monday.