CANADIENS
Montreal

4-2

DEVILS
New Jersey

Game Notes:

Yawn. Why do some of the most unentertaining hockey games take place in Newark? For the second game in a row, the Canadiens took a game that they should have dominated and made it difficult.  Shots and scoring chances were relatively even throughout the game.

Milestones.  So many great goalies in Montreal Canadiens franchise history, and Carey Price is one of the best. Price picked up his 200th career win in his 400th game.  It is amazing that his accomplishments have come at such a young age — he is the ninth youngest goaltender in NHL history to hit the 400 game mark.  Only goaltenders Patrick Roy and Jacques Plante have more games in a Canadiens jersey.

Leaders lead.  The Canadiens leadership group each contributed in a big way to the win. Carey Price, as usual, covered most of the Habs missteps in their own zone.  Tomas Plekanec had a goal on five shots and was 74 per cent at the faceoff dot.  Max Pacioretty had a goal on six shots playing 23:19.  Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban each played more than 26 minutes with Subban picking up three assists.

Fourth line. It was a good game for the trio of Dale Weise, Michael Bournival and Sven Andrighetto who made the most of their limited ice time.  Bournival was the recipient of a very fortunate bounce early in the second period for his first goal in forever.  But that seemed to provide the confidence for subsequent strong shifts.

Soft. The Canadiens continue to ice a team who is not a threat to wear down opponents with physical play. They are outhit, usually badly, on a nightly basis.  That could be a big factor in an extended playoff series.  Alexei Emelin leads the team in hits by a wide margin.  He had six hits against the Devils.  Emelin and everyone else is aware that he is in the lineup for his physicality. At times this causes him to make poor decisions. Emelin, and the Canadiens defense, would benefit from the addition of Jarred Tinordi on a regular basis.

Plus / Minus

▲   Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Markov, Max Pacioretty, Carey Price, P.K. Subban, Michael Bournival

▼    Tom Gilbert, Alexei Emelin, David Desharnais

1.  Michael Bournival  MTL
2.  P.K. Subban  MTL
3.  Michael Ryder  NJD

• No quotes from the head coach.

Carey Price

• “I’m very blessed to be put in a position to do what I love to do, and there have been ups and downs there’s no doubt, but right now it’s just fun to come to the rink and hang out with the boys every day.”

Michael Bournival

• “I was pretty lucky on that first one. I was actually trying to pass it to [Dale] Weise, he was driving the net. I saw it hit [Jon Merrill’s] skate, so I’ll take it I guess.”

Devils interim co-coach Lou Lamoriello

• “I thought the first two periods, I didn’t think we gave ourselves a chance. In the third period, we came back, we had an opportunity, and that’s what you ask for.”