Dale Weise gets first hat trick, Canadiens thump Flames 6-2

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Dale Weise completed his first career hat trick in midway through the third period and the Montreal Canadiens blew the hapless Calgary Flames 6-2 on Friday night to end a two-game skid and become the first team in the NHL with 10 wins.

Weise scored in each of the first and second periods, then got his third with 8:16 left by spanking the rebound shot by Tomas Fleischmann.

Nathan Beaulieu, Devante Smith-Pelly and Paul Byron also scored, and rookie Mike Condon made 29 saves. Montreal earned his first victory since winning nine game season-opening series against Vancouver ended Tuesday.

The Flames have lost four straight and are yet to win in regulation this season.

Joni Ortio stopped 25 shots for Calgary. Jiri Hudler scored and Josh Jooris.

Weise broke a tie 6:57 into the second 2-2. He took the puck away from Benoit Pouliot skated to the right circle and beat Ortio with a wrist shot.

Three goals Weise hats rained as if the game was played at Montreal's Bell Centre.

Montreal was 4-2 with 7:38 left in the second, again capitalizing on sloppy defense by Calgary. Dennis Wideman stole the puck from him along the end strips and Kris Russell lost his man, allowing to implement Byron Smith-Pelly for an open net.

Condon started in place of Carey Price and improved to 3-0 in three career starts.

Shaky goalkeeper continues to be the scenario in Calgary. Jonas Hiller, wounded in his last game, is second-to-last in the NHL with a .861 save percentage. Karri Ramo opening night starter, gave up less than a week ago and sent to minors, is 0.879 through three starts. Ortio, a rookie, has struggled in both of its games.

Hudler scored 27 seconds into the second period to tie it 1-1.

Beaulieu 2 minutes of power play goal later restored a 2-1 lead.

Jooris tied again at 4:41, but there were only a way for a couple of minutes.

NOTES: Alexander Semin was a healthy scratch for Canadians for the second straight game. ... Ortio began at home for the first time since March 21, 2014. His last nine appearances in the NHL came on the road. ... Max Pacioretty of Montreal was on the ice for the purpose of Hudler. It was the first goal, it was on the ice for this season. He was for 20 Canadian goals. ... Kris Russell of Calgary was minus-3 and is the last in the NHL at least-16.

Canucks hoping to end Canadiens’ streak, earn first home win of season

Vancouver Canucks hope to visit the best NHL team will help them shake off their torpor of ice.

The Montreal Canadiens Jersey enter Tuesday's game at Rogers Arena having won nine consecutive games franchise regulatory record to open the season and are about to join elite company as one of only three teams to start a year with 10 consecutive wins.

The third period Canucks, meanwhile, blew leads in three of their five home defeats, including 3-2 overtime loss Saturday to the Detroit Red Wings.

"For us it is a great measuring stick [against] probably the best team in the league right now," Vancouver forward Alexandre Burrows said after practice Monday. "We will try to end this series."

Montreal is of course led by reining Vezina and Hart Trophy winner Carey Price, who won seven of nine of his team, including two shutouts, to go along with a 1.29 goals against average and a .961 save percentage . A victory Tuesday would see Canadians join 1993-1994 Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres 2006-07 that the only teams to start a season with 10 straight victories.

"We are not really focused on 10 to go 10, we're just focused on the first quarter of the game and running the way we want to play," said defenseman PK Subban Montreal. "I've said before and I'll say it again: all we have accomplished is to have a good start, and here.

Montreal Canadiens remain undefeated after Carey Price shuts out St. Louis Blues

MONTREAL — Much has been made of how the chandail des canadiens don’t rely quite as much on star goalie Carey Price this season, but for a period and a half against the St. Louis Blues he had to be the man.

Price made a season-high 38 saves, including 17 in the opening period, to post his second shutout in the last three games as the Canadiens downed the Blues 3-0 on Tuesday night. Montreal extended its club-record winning streak to start the season to seven games.

The save of the game was a spectacular glove effort early in the second frame on Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko, who was held off the scoresheet for the first time this season.

“I actually wound up overplaying it a little bit, so I kind of got a little bit lucky being able to get a piece of it,” Price said. “But any time you can come up with the right save at the right time it’s helpful.

“We had a little bit of a slow first period, but being able to come out with a lead, we were able to regroup in the first intermission.”

Canadiens’ Price takes note of Rangers’ goalie in home opener

On Thursday, after defeating the New York Rangers in their first home game, the Canadians became the first edition of the club to start the season with five straight wins.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price Jersey makes a save against the New ...

"It was definitely a fun game," said Canadiens left wing Max Pacioretty, playing his first regular season game as team captain. Carey Price earned most accolades after the game.

A pair of goals from the third line combined with a raised Canadians empty net tally to a 3-0 victory over the Rangers on Thursday night at the Bell Centre.



The Habs won their first five starts this season - a new record for a deductible of 106 years, where it seems everything was done basically at least once - none of the previous four triumphs involved a duel of this goal-tending standard.

Rangers' King gives crown to Canadiens' Carey Price

MONTREAL - The way he figures Henrik Lundqvist, the best goalie in the NHL will be on the ice at the Bell Centre tonight when Canadians get the Rangers Jersey in their first home game.

And it's not him.

For now, the franchise goaltender Rangers gives the crown to Carey Price.

"I start thinking about it now we play Montreal, a good team, and Carey, in particular," said Lundqvist The Record after practice Wednesday at Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, NY "The way he plays now, he is probably the best goalie. "

Price, 28, has the hardware to back the compliment Lundqvist after collecting four major awards in the playoffs after he went 44-16-6 with a 1.96 goals against average in 2014-15.

Price won the Hart Trophy (MVP), Vezina Trophy (top goalie), Ted Lindsay Price (most outstanding player as voted by his fellow players) while sharing the William Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed ).

NHL Picks: Canadiens keep strong start rolling against Senators

It's usually pretty difficult to have especially meaningful games in the first week of the season, but Sunday night's contest between the chandail des canadiens and Ottawa Senators will come pretty close.

Both Atlantic Division clubs have started the season 2-0-0 and there might be a little residual bad blood left over from the heated playoff series between the Habs and Sens last postseason. Montreal won the series in six games, ending Ottawa's dream run to close out the 2014-15 campaign.

With both teams playing the back end of back-to-backs, we might also be getting the first glimpse of back-up goalies Mike Condon and Matthew O'Connor for Montreal and Ottawa, respectively. The two rookies could be making their NHL debuts, while spelling starters Carey Price and Craig Anderson, who each were between the pipes Saturday night. Condon beat out established backup Dustin Tokarski in camp, while O'Connor is on the roster in place of the injured Andrew Hammond.

Max Pacioretty: The Right Choice to Captain the Canadiens

A few weeks ago, the Montreal Canadiens Jersey named Max Pacioretty their new team captain. Pacioretty is the 29th captain, and the third American born captain in Canadiens history.

Some questioned the management’s decision to allow the players to vote for their captain, while others saw it as a good way to get an accurate feel of who the real leaders in the locker room are. This article will look in to the decision that was made to name Pacioretty captain, and will evaluate whether or not this decision was the right one.

Some captains are more vocal, while others stay quiet, but lead by example on and off the ice. Though there are different types of leaders, one thing is absolutely necessary for any team captain: consistency.

It is far too early to determine what kind of leader Max Pacioretty will be, though he does meet the most important criteria. Pacioretty leads by example with his exemplary work ethic on and off the ice, and he is consistent.

In addition, Max Pacioretty is more than just a one dimensional player. In 2014-15, Pacioretty scored 37 goals, almost matching his 39 from 2013-14. While being the most productive offensive threat on the Canadiens, Pacioretty also excelled in his defensive play.

Last season, he was tied for first place in the NHL’s plus/minus category with a staggering +38 differential. The only other player to match Pacioretty’s +38, was Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov.

Canadiens’ Pacioretty returns from injury, wears captain’s ‘C’

It was a night of firsts for Max Pacioretty.

It was his first game back since suffering fractures to the top of his left tibia July 9. It was his first game in a knee brace. And, most notably, it was his first time wearing the captain’s “C” on that fabled Montreal Canadiens Hoodie.

“It was a very special feeling,” said Pacioretty. “It’s obviously just pre-season, but I still took a lot of pride in wearing it.”

It was good to get it out of the way. Much like it was to get his first shift out of the way, a 42-second sprint up and down the ice — nothing memorable about it.

A few shifts later, the Canadiens were on the power play, and Pacioretty did make something memorable happen, picking up the primary assist on Nathan Beaulieu’s sneaky back-door goal.

“Probably the easiest assist of my career,” he mused, crediting Beaulieu for finding the opening to leave the blue line to make his way to the goal line.

Canadiens’ Pacioretty set for return ahead of schedule

BROSSARD, Que. — What seemed unlikely three months ago has now become a reality. When the Montreal Canadiens Jersey host the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Centre Thursday, Max Pacioretty will return to their lineup.

It was during a sprinting exercise in July that Pacioretty felt a tug in his hamstring and as he pulled up, he hyperextended his left knee–causing multiple fractures to his tibial plateau.

All along, the target date for a return to action for Pacioretty has been October 7, when the Canadiens will kick off their regular season in Toronto. But once again, he’s defying the odds to come back earlier than expected from a serious injury.

He was cleared just six weeks after suffering a severe concussion and fractured vertebrae in his neck after a violent hit from Boston’s Zdeno Chara sidelined him in 2011.
The following season, Pacioretty suffered ligament damage to his wrist in a game, but managed not to miss any subsequent games with the injury.

And in 2013, Pacioretty returned to action just eight days after an emergency appendectomy.