MONTREAL, Qc. - Enjoying the third of a five-game homestand, the Montreal Canadiens will seek a third straight victory when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
That streak comes on the heals of a 3-game skid and a meager 1-5-1 road trip. A return to the Bell Centre was the winning prescription, downing Vancouver and Cup-defending Los Angeles in succession by a score of 9-3 in those two outings.
Montreal (19-10-2) was outshot in ten of its victories this season, and lagged behind the Kings 46-20 as Carey Price made 44 saves, a season-best, and shutout the visitors until Jake Muzzin's strike three minutes into the third.
Price has 16 wins this season and holds a 1.67 goals-against average. His .922 save percentage ranks 10th in hockey.
"He's a great goaltender and he has the ability to make great saves," said Habs blue-liner P.K. Subban. "It's not a surprise to us seeing him do that but to be able to see him do it against one of the best teams in the league, that's what we need."
The Canadiens notched two power-play goals on the Kings, their first two strikes coming on their first five shots on goal. The Kings were held to nothing after their first 28 shots.
Though Nick Bonino nearly had one 90 seconds into the game were it not for the gymnastics of Carey Price, leaping over the crease to his right and extending his glove onto the chance.
"Price is priceless," Jiri Sekac told the Canadiens website. "You don't see a goaltender like him every day. I've been around. I've played in the Finals in the KHL. I've played in World Championships. But I've never seen a goalie like that. He's amazing. He's good every game. He's consistent."
Consistency that is likely to continue when Carolina (8-18-3) come into the Centre.
They fell 5-1 at Philadelphia on Saturday despite posting three more shots and have found the net only once in each of their last five outings, all defeats.
Tied with Edmonton for the fewest points in hockey (19), they began their 2014 campaign 0-6-2 before rattling off four straight victories. A win against Dallas was bookended by three straight losses, though, and they are yet to win since Dec. 2 against Nashville.
"We have to compete, have to be better defensively, have to manage the puck, have to move the puck better and that'll give us a better chance," coach Bill Peters said.
Despite blanking opponents on 15 straight power-play chances, they allowed three goals a man down on five chances in their last five contests, ranking 14th in both penalty-killing and power-play chances.
After an 0-for-14 slump with the advantage, Eric Staal sliced one past Steve Mason in Philadelphia in the second period, the Hurricanes' only goal that day.
"I don't think our execution was very good," he said after that game. "Obviously, it's been frustrating. We've played some good hockey before tonight, but tonight not good enough all around everywhere."
After pulling within 2-1 to the Flyers, they allowed three-straight goals in six minutes.
The Hurricanes will be without goals-leader Jiri Tlusty as he suffers an upper body injury and Elias Lindholm, second-best on goals (7), is yet to score a point in his last five appearances.
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