MONTREAL (AP) – Alex Kovalev finally showed up in Montreal, just in time to get the Canadiens back in the playoff hunt.

Kovalev scored two first-period goals, both assisted by goalie Jose Theodore, and Montreal beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 Sunday night.

Andrei Markov also scored for the Canadiens, who now trail their first-round playoff series 2-1 after scoring just once while losing the first two games in Boston.

An enthusiastic, sellout Bell Centre crowd of 21,273 erupted in cheers on both of Kovalev’s goals, each of them giving Montreal a lead, the second one for good.

Kovalev had just four points – including an assist on Patrice Brisebois’ goal in Friday’s 2-1 overtime loss – in his first 14 games with the Canadiens, who acquired him in a trade with the New York Rangers on March 2.

Theodore set up the rushes that led to both goals and became just the third goalie to record two assists in an NHL playoff game, and the second – following Edmonton’s Grant Fuhr – to do so in the same period.

Boston’s Andy Hilbert scored in his first career playoff game in the first period, and Brian Rolston drew the Bruins within one when he scored early in the third.

Theodore, who allowed rookie Patrice Bergeron’s goal 1:26 into overtime Friday, made 21 saves.

Bruins rookie Andrew Raycroft, who had a shutout in his first playoff game Wednesday, stopped 29 shots.

Electrified by a pregame slide show on the ice depicting their storied franchise’s 24 Stanley Cup-winning teams and Hall-of-Fame legends Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau and Guy Lafleur, the Montreal fans were ready for a current player to step forward.

Kovalev was ready to be that player, with a little help from Theodore.

Trailing a rush initiated by Theodore and led by Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, the Russian winger came through the slot and took a backhand pass from Koivu before beating Raycroft from a sharp angle 2:16 into the game.

Despite playing just 31 seconds in the opening period, Hilbert tied it at 6:34. He stopped Montreal defenseman Sheldon Souray’s clearing attempt at the blue line and beat Theodore with a long wrist shot.

Theodore started another scoring play that led to Kovalev’s second goal at 15:24. The goalie gave the puck to defenseman Craig Rivet, who shot along the right boards from behind Montreal’s net.

Kovalev flipped the puck past defenseman Hal Gill at the Canadiens’ blue line and broke down the ice on a two-on-one with Richard Zednik before beating Raycroft with a quick shot from the faceoff circle into the top right corner.

Markov gave Montreal a two-goal lead when he scored on a 4-on-4 in the second period. Koivu got his second assist on the goal as Markov scored into an open left side off a rebound of Zednik’s shot.

Rolston ensured a tight finish when he scored 3:35 into the third period on a slap shot that struck Theodore’s left skate and beat him through the legs.

Notes: Fuhr was the first goalie to record two assists in the same period on April 22, 1991 against Los Angeles. Pittsburgh’s Tom Barrasso also had two assists against New Jersey on April 20, 1993 … Hilbert managed three shifts in the first period despite his limited ice time.

-Associated Press