Habs hero Plekanec’s career now full circle under Julien Tomas Plekanec knotted Game 2 against the Rangers with 17.3 seconds left, capping off a furious third period push, before Alexander Radulov bulldozed the game-winner in overtime to give the Canadiens a 4-3 win on Friday to tie their series heading back to New York.

Frank Seravalli TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Follow|Archive

MONTRÉAL — It was fitting that Nick Holden’s shattered stick laid in ruin between Henrik Lundqvist’s pads when Tomas Plekanec potted the biggest goal of his career.

The Rangers defenceman broke his stick on Plekanec - preventing him from defending the game-tying goal - because a stubborn Plekanec wouldn’t move, like he hasn’t from Montreal since 2004.

One cross-check. Another shove. Whack.

Canadiens are alive. Somehow.

“He was at the right place, at the right time,” coach Claude Julien said. “He did what he was supposed to do as far as being in front of the net.”

That Plekanec was even on the ice in the dying minute of regulation, with Montreal seconds away from being in a two-game chokehold at the hands of the Rangers, was a shock in itself.

This was Plekanec’s worst offensive season of his career. Fans were calling for a reduced role, a demotion to the fourth line, where he could continue as an effective penalty killer and defensive specialist.

All he did was save the Canadiens’ season since teams down 2-0 in a best-of-seven series go on to lose 87 per cent of the time in NHL history.

Plekanec knotted Game 2 with 17.3 seconds left, capping off a furious third period push, before Alexander Radulov bulldozed the game-winner behind Lundqvist in overtime to send this Eastern Conference first round series to New York all square.

Game 3 is Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers collected the worst home record among all playoff teams this season.

“We played desperate all period,” Plekanec said. “I think you could see in that third period, every single guy was desperate, played hard to get that goal. We believed. This is a tight group. We showed that tonight.”

The Habs had the Rangers, comfortable to nurse an opportunistic 3-2 lead, on their heels for the entire third period but had nothing to show for it. Until Plekanec.

After sitting back in a prevent-style defence, sending only one forechecker for the majority of the third, the Rangers had a tough time transitioning back to a full-ice attack in overtime. Montreal had all the momentum. The Canadiens now have four more wins (12) when trailing after two periods than any team in the NHL this season to show for it.

“We knew our backs were against the wall,” Max Pacioretty said. “We knew what the buzz was like after losing one game. You don’t want to go down 2-0. It’s just one win. It’s very, very important, but it’s something very, very good to build off of as well.”

The win marked not only the Canadiens’ first playoff overtime triumph in Montreal over the Rangers in 60 years, but more importantly, the first playoff victory by a Canadian team in 707 days. The Habs took home Canada’s last Stanley Cup playoff win back on May 9, 2015, nearly two full years ago.

Plekanec, now 34, was there for that. He’s been in the middle of it all for the Canadiens since making his NHL debut on New Year’s Eve in 2003.

Plekanec and Andrei Markov are the last remaining holdovers from Julien’s first tenure, which lasted from 2003-06. Only eight other players in the NHL have remained with the same team for that entire time.

His career has come full circle with Julien, the man who helped develop him in Hamilton in the AHL, gave him his shot in the NHL, and put him out there in the final minute of play on Friday.

“Time flies,” Plekanec said. “It’s been so long. I barely spoke English back in the day.”

Julien’s re-hiring almost breathed a second wind into Plekanec’s career. Not every coach, even those who rely on veteran experience, would have continued with Plekanec in such a meaningful role centring the second line with key power play minutes.

Some would criticize Julien for showing that much faith in Plekanec, or call it bias toward viewing Plekanec through a lens of how he used to play, rather than how he plays now. Plekanec collected just 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 78 games; his previous low was 29 points in 67 games in his first full NHL season more than a decade ago.

“His teammates see him do all the sacrifices of playing against top lines on most nights and on most shifts and really doing a great job of shutting them down,” Julien said. “He’s taken a lot of pride in that. Sometimes it’s not the funnest job. I don’t know if funnest is a word, but it’s not the job you enjoy the most and he takes pride in it and he does it well.

“For him to get rewarded like that makes everybody feel good.”

Plekanec downplayed his relationship with Julien, saying so much time had passed since their first run, that it wasn’t immediately like old times when he was re-hired in February. But the confidence Julien has displayed has paid off.

“Sometimes, it’s funny to see how careers end up,” Plekanec said. “You meet up with guys, whether it’s teammates or coaches, that you started with. Sometimes it’s crazy like that. My role is what it is. I accept that. It’s great for the team. There are other guys that can play on the top lines. I’m not here for my personal goals.”

Contact Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @frank_seravalli