The skinny: The Canadiens took a 2-0 lead in the first period and goaltender Carey Price made 17 of his 31 saves in the third period as Montreal completed a three-game series sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes with a 4-0 victory Thursday at the Bell Centre. It was the eighth shutout of the season for Price who was kept busy after facing only four shots in the first period.
Opening a gap: The win gave the Canadiens 97 points and they moved four points ahead of idle Tampa Bay in the battle for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning has one game in hand.
Weise hits double figures: Dale Weise became the eighth Canadien to notch at least 10 goals this season when he opened the scoring at 5:51 of the first period. Anton Khudobin stopped the initial shot by Manny Malhotra and Weise scored on the rebound. Brandon Prust set up Malhotra to earn the second assist and he has three helpers in the past two games.
Third time lucky: Brendan Gallagher established a career-high with his 20th goal at 8:42 of the first period. Khudobin stopped Tomas Plekanec on a shot off the rush and then made a save on Plekanec’s backhand swipe at the rebound. Gallagher, who was trailing on the play, scored on a backhander.
Insurance time: Weise picked up his second point of the night when he assisted on David Desharnais’s 12th goal of the season at 18:48 of the second period. Prust drew Carolina defenceman Danny Biega away from the crease and that allowed Tom Gilbert to find Desharnais on a back-door play.
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![The Montreal Canadiens celebrate right wing Dale Weise's opening goal as Carolina Hurricanes centre Brad Malone returns to the bench at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
The Montreal Canadiens celebrate right wing Dale Weise's opening goal as Carolina Hurricanes centre Brad Malone returns to the bench at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price pulls in a loose puck at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price pulls in a loose puck at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens centre Tomas Plekanec ties up Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrej Nestrasil at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens centre Tomas Plekanec ties up Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrej Nestrasil at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov tries to clear Carolina Hurricanes centre Jordan Staal from the front of the net as goalie Carey Price follows the play at the Bell Centre on Thursday March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov tries to clear Carolina Hurricanes centre Jordan Staal from the front of the net as goalie Carey Price follows the play at the Bell Centre on Thursday March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price makes a glove save against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price makes a glove save against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Carolina Hurricanes left wing Chris Terry fails to strip the puck from Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Chris Terry fails to strip the puck from Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens centre David Desharnais in front of Carolina Hurricanes goalie Anton Khudobin after scoring the Canadiens' third goal at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens centre David Desharnais in front of Carolina Hurricanes goalie Anton Khudobin after scoring the Canadiens' third goal at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens left wing Jacob De La Rose, centre takes part in the pre-game skate at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015. Right wing Dale Weise, top right, goalie Carey Price, bottom, and right wing Brandon Prust, bottom right, also take part in the skate.]()
Montreal Canadiens left wing Jacob De La Rose, centre takes part in the pre-game skate at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015. Right wing Dale Weise, top right, goalie Carey Price, bottom, and right wing Brandon Prust, bottom right, also take part in the skate.
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![Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin, left, and centre Alex Galchenyuk clown around during the pre- game skate for their match against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin, left, and centre Alex Galchenyuk clown around during the pre- game skate for their match against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban and Carolina Hurricanes right wing Patrick Dwyer get tied up as they round the net at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban and Carolina Hurricanes right wing Patrick Dwyer get tied up as they round the net at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price falls face first to the ice after being hit by a puck at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price falls face first to the ice after being hit by a puck at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price makes a save against Carolina Hurricanes centre Brad Malone as Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher tries to clear him from the goal crease at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price makes a save against Carolina Hurricanes centre Brad Malone as Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher tries to clear him from the goal crease at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin sends Carolina Hurricanes centre Elias Lindholm to the ice at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin sends Carolina Hurricanes centre Elias Lindholm to the ice at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
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![Montreal Canadiens defenseman Tom Gilbert and Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jeff Skinner fall to the ice at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.]()
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Tom Gilbert and Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jeff Skinner fall to the ice at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
Gallery: Canadiens vs. Hurricanes
The Montreal Canadiens shut out the Carolina Hurricanes 4-0 at the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 19, 2015. Here are some images from the game.
One more for Max: Leading Montreal scorer Max Pacioretty got the bounce when he scored his 35th goal of the season. Pacioretty was behind the goal line when he tried to pass to Plekanec in the shot. His pass hit the inside of Khudobin’s leg and went in.
Homecoming for Biega: Biega was called up from Charlotte earlier in the day and made his NHL debut for the Hurricanes. Biega played midget hockey for the Lac St. Louis Lions and then went to Harvard, where he played alongside his brothers Alex and Michael as well as former Lions teammates Alex Killorn and Louis Leblanc. Alex made his NHL debut this season with the Vancouver Canucks.
What’s next: The Canadiens face a tougher test when the San Jose Sharks visit the Bell Centre Saturday (7 p.m., City-TV, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690). The Sharks are in desperate need of points if they hope to make the playoffs for an 11th consecutive season. They are 10th in the Western Conference standings after beating Toronto Thursday night. They have a 4-3 record since blanking the Canadiens 4-0 in San Jose on March 2. The Canadiens are back on the road next week with games in Nashville Tuesday and Winnipeg Thursday before returning home to play the Florida Panthers Saturday.
