BOSTON (AP) -- Despite a dominant performance against the Montreal Canadiens, the Boston Bruins' struggles continued Thursday night.

The Bruins outshot the Canadiens 40-27, including 5-4 in overtime, but Patrice Brisebois scored his first goal of the season late in the second period Thursday night to lift Montreal to a 3-3 tie with Boston.

	Montreal goalie Jeff Hackett tries to slow up Boston's Jason Allison with a stick to the helmet Thursday. Allison escaped injury -- and Hackett escaped the ref's whistle.

"I thought from a fan standpoint, it was a very exciting game," Montreal coach Alain Vigneault said.

Boston, which has won just one of their its nine home games, outshot Montreal 40-27, including 5-4 in overtime. The Bruins improved to 1-0-9 in overtime this season.

"If we keep playing this way, it'll turn around and we'll win some games," said Boston coach Pat Burns, who coached his 800th NHL game.

Brisebois' shot found the net off the skate of Boston defenseman Don Sweeney with 31 seconds left in the second to make it 3-3.

The Bruins took their first lead, 3-2, when Joe Thornton broke a five-game scoreless streak at 8:46 of the second period. Joe Murphy earned his 500th point in the NHL with an assist.

"It was a good game to build on, but we gave up two power play goals and we've got to get better in penalty killing," Murphy said.

Craig Darby gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead at 1:42 of the first as he scored on a wrist shot from the left side of the crease.

Jason Allison tied it at 2:23 as he poked a shot off the skate of Montreal's Francis Bouillon.

The Canadiens took a 2-1 lead on a power-play goal by Martin Rucinsky, his 15th of the season and sixth in eight games.

The Bruins tied it 2-2 at 16:28 of the first period when Allison scored his second goal of the game off a cross-ice pass by Sergei Samsonov.

"We both killed off penalties tonight, but in the third period we knew what was at stake," Rucinsky said.

Jeff Hackett, who has allowed only six goals in his last three games for the Canadiens, made 37 saves. Byron Dafoe made 24 saves for the Bruins.

"I thought Hackett got better as the game went on," Vigneault said. "He seemed tentative early but found his game and his rhythm as the game went on."

The tie gave Montreal five points in its last five games. The Canadiens are 2-2-1 in that stretch, but remain in last place in the Northeast Division.

"For us right now, getting any points in a game is positive," Vigneault said.