Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Paul Byron – Max Domi – Andrew Shaw

Jonathan Drouin – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Joel Armia

Artturi Lehkonen – Nate Thompson – Jordan Weal

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

Brett Kulak – Jeff Petry

Jordie Benn – Christian Folin

Carey Price – Antti Niemi

Charles Hudon, Nicolas Deslauriers, Dale Weise, Matthew Peca, Mike Reilly, Charlie Lindgren

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Game Report

With the Canadiens on the outside looking in when the game began, the home team was desperate for a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The NHL schedule makers were feeling kind serving up the 30th-place team as the opponent. In addition, the Red Wings were losers of 10 of their past 11 games.

But the Canadiens looked anything but a team that should be playing with urgency. So it was left to the franchise player to carry the Habs to victory.

Perhaps it was fitting for his record-setting 315th win, that Price had to shine while his team looked lethargic against one of the league’s bottom-feeders. Price was outstanding stopping no fewer than three Detroit breakaways, even borrowing a move from the Dominator to shut down Tyler Bertuzzi.

Price was never blessed to be a member of exceptionally talented teams in Montreal like Jacques Plante, Ken Dryden or Patrick Roy. Yet all Carey did was to calmly and humbly put his team on his back and surpass the wins milestones of the legends in the rafters.

Carey Price is the winningest goaltender in the long history of the Montreal Canadiens. Stop and let that sink in. It is a remarkable achievement that should be admired and celebrated.

But there is more to be done this season. Price is doing more than his share. If the Canadiens will be playing in the post-season, they will have to have a much better effort from the rest of the team when the competition gets tougher.

Plus / Minus

▲  Carey Price

▼  Jonathan Drouin, Jordie Benn, Brett Kulak, Jesperi Kotkaniemi