Carey Price stopped 28 shots for his third shutout of the season as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-0 on Saturday night.
Brett Kulak, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jordie Benn all scored in the third period for the Canadiens, who had lost three of their last four games. Price got his 43rd career shutout.
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Carey Price stopped 28 shots for his third shutout of the season as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-0 on Saturday night.
After two scoreless periods, Kulak scored his second of the season to break the deadlock. With the Canadiens playing short-handed, Kulak scored right off a faceoff in Colorado's zone at 8:21 of the third.
Colorado has dropped the first three games on its current five-game Canadian road trip.
Price was solid between the pipes, making key saves to keep the Canadiens in the game. In the first, Price made a hard glove save look easy when Tyson Jost walked in all alone. In the third, the 31-year-old stopped Matt Calvert on the breakaway.
Avalanche: At Toronto on Monday night.
Montreal Canadiens' Paul Byron (41) collides with Colorado Avalanche's Samuel Girard during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Montreal. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Semyon Varlamov gave up two goals on 30 shots for the slumping Avalanche, losers of nine of their last 10.
Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon (29) moves in on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price as Canadiens' Shea Weber (6) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Montreal. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
After two scoreless periods, Kulak scored his second of the season to break the deadlock. With the Canadiens playing short-handed, Kulak scored right off a faceoff in Colorado's zone at 8:21 of the third.
The goal revitalized the home side and Kotkaniemi made it 2-0 at 10:39 on a one-timer after nifty stick work by Jonathan Drouin along the half-wall.
Benn added an empty-netter with 1:16 left.
Montreal Canadiens' Brett Kulak (17) and Colorado Avalanche's Matt Calvert (11) keep their eyes on the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Montreal. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado has dropped the first three games on its current five-game Canadian road trip.
With Montreal's recent scoring woes — five goals in its previous four games — coach Claude Julien shuffled his top three lines to provide a spark on offense. Brendan Gallagher and Phillip Danault were moved to the top line with Drouin, and Max Domi was dropped to center the second line. Tomas Tatar, who's played the entire season with Gallagher and Danault, was demoted to the third line alongside rookie Kotkaniemi and Paul Byron.
Julien also tweaked his two power-play units, to no avail. Montreal's league-worst power play went 0 for 3. Montreal's best chance with the man advantage came four minutes into the third period when captain Shea Weber's one-timer hit the post.
Montreal Canadiens' Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15), celebrates with teammates Jonathan Drouin (92), Brendan Gallagher (11), Shea Weber (6) and Mike Reilly, right, after scoring against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Montreal. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Price was solid between the pipes, making key saves to keep the Canadiens in the game. In the first, Price made a hard glove save look easy when Tyson Jost walked in all alone. In the third, the 31-year-old stopped Matt Calvert on the breakaway.
NOTES; The Canadiens are 1 for 20 on the power play in their last six games. They're 0 for 27 on the power play at home dating back to Dec. 1. ... Colorado F Nathan MacKinnon saw his eight-game point streak snapped. ... The Avalanche have allowed 41 goals in their last nine road games.
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Montreal Canadiens' Joel Armia (40) moves in on Colorado Avalanche's Semyon Varlamov as Avalanche's Mark Barberio defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Montreal. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Avalanche: At Toronto on Monday night.
Canadiens: At Boston on Monday night.
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Colorado Avalanche's goaltender Semyon Varlamov looks back on his goal after being scored on by Montreal Canadiens' Jesperi Kotkaniemi as Avalanche's Erik Johnson defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Montreal. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens' Paul Byron (41) collides with Colorado Avalanche's Samuel Girard during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Montreal. (Graham HughesThe Canadian Press via AP)