Carey Pricehad a 19 save shutout performance for his fourth win of the season, as the Montreal Canadiens (4-2-1) defeated the Ottawa Senators (2-5-1) 3-0 Saturday night.
It was the first shutout since November 11,2008 for the Canadiens netminder, and comes on the rebound of a disappointing 3-0 loss on Thursday night to the New Jersey Devils. Many fans put the blame for that loss on the 24-year-old , despite a solid game on his part.
Jacques Martin obvioulsy disagreed with the armchair goaltenders, putting Price back in for his seventh straight start, and Price responded as he has all season.
Andrei Kostisyn had a pair of goals, to bookend the Habs scoring, and Benoit Pouliot scored his first goal of the season, just as the Canadiens were coming off a power play.
Despite the Canadiens struggling power play, the team played a balanced an disciplined game and were able to get 34 shots at Senators goaltender Brian Elliott. Their 39% on faceoffs was maybe the only notable flaw.
Price’s 19 saves may not see like much on paper, but most of those saves were crucial ones that could have changed the outcome of the game.
The Habs netminder had a lot of help from his team on the blue line, led by rookie P.K. Subban.
The Canadiens rear guard had four hits, a pair of blocked shots, and even stayed on the play after receiving a few hits of his own. He added an assist on the first Kostitsyn goal, earning the games second star.
Kostitsyn opened the scoring for the Canadiens at 10:54 of the first period, when he took a pass from Tomas Plekanec, who opened up the lane fro his winger to fire a wrist shot past Elliot.
Pouliot then added to the tally, as the Senators penalty ended, picking up Scott Gomez‘s missed shot off the back boards at backhanding the puck in at 13:42 of the second period.
Mike Cammallerithen forced the puck out from behind the Senators net, getting a tight shot on Elliott. The rebound came right out to an open Kostitsyn, who fired it into the Ottawa goal at 18:37.
It was Kostitsyn’s third goal of the season, and all three have come against Ottawa.
The Senators had some pressure, at the midpoint of the third period, but were kept mostly to the perimiter and foiled by Price on any chances they had at any other time in the game.
The shutout was Price’s fifth of his career, and third against the Senators. It was also Plkanec’s 400th career NHL game.
The Canadiens will have a practice Sunday in preparation for their next game (the first of four on the week) on Monday, at the Bell Centre, against the Phoenix Coyotes.
FIRST PERIOD SCORING
1. MTL – Andrei Kostitsyn(Plekanec, Subban) -10:54
SECOND PERIOD
2. MTL – Benoit Pouliot (Gorges, Gomez) – 13:42
3. MTL – Andre Kostitsyn (Cammalleri, Hamrlik) – 18:37
THREE STARS
1. Andrei Kostitsyn 2. P.K. Subban 3. Carey Price
Follow what the Ottawa faithful are saying, about the game, at Silver Seven
NOT TO BE OUTDONE: Jaroslav Halak had a 31-save shutout for the St. Louis Blues against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
