MONTREAL -- The Canadiens posted an 8-2 victory over the Blue Jackets on Saturday night.
It was Indigenous Celebration Night at the Bell Centre. Goaltender Carey Price was on site to participate in a Q&A session with youngsters from Kahnawake Minor Hockey.
Nos invités du hockey mineur de Kahnawake ont assisté une toute une séance de questions et réponses aujourd'hui...
Our Kahnawake Minor Hockey guests had quite the Q&A session today...
The players were also wearing special warmup jerseys to mark the occasion. Created by multidisciplinary artist Meky Ottawa, the jerseys are up for auction until Tuesday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. Click here to bid.
A unique rendition of the national anthem was also performed prior to the game. The fans thoroughly enjoyed the combination of French, English and Cree.
L'hymne national interprété en français, en anglais et en cri par Pakesso Mukash, originaire de la Première Nation de Whapmagoostui.
The national anthem was performed in French, English and Cree by Pakesso Mukash from the Whapmagoostui First Nation.#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/NIK5L9tpuM
The Blue Jackets opened the scoring just 92 seconds into the first period on a goal by Lane Pederson, but that didn't keep Martin St-Louis' contingent down for long. Sporting a full face shield after taking a cross-check to the face in Boston earlier this week, Mike Hoffman scored the equalizer just over two minutes later. His 13th goal of the season was assisted by Mike Matheson and Nick Suzuki.
CBJ@MTL: Hoffman buries a shot from the circle
Six minutes later, Jesse Ylonen put the Canadiens in front 2-1 with his sixth goal of the year. Brendan Gallagher and Joel Edmundson picked up the helpers.
The Blue Jackets responded with two minutes left in the opening frame on a goal by Kirill Marchenko. It was 2-2 after 20 minutes. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard put the Canadiens back in front with his 10th goal of the season at the 13-second mark of the second period. Matheson and Suzuki collected assists on the play.
CBJ@MTL: Harvey-Pinard scores in 2nd period
Exactly seven minutes later, Harvey-Pinard added his 11th goal of the campaign. Hoffman and Suzuki assisted on the snipe.
CBJ@MTL: Harvey-Pinard roofs a shot for his second
Gallagher added a goal at 13:08 to give Montreal a three-goal advantage. His fifth goal of the year was assisted by Jake Evans and Ylonen.
CBJ@MTL: Gallagher scores in 2nd period
Harvey-Pinard then completed the hat trick to cap the scoring in the middle stanza. Hoffman and Matheson picked up the assists.
CBJ@MTL: Harvey-Pinard nets PPG for the hat trick
The Canadiens led 6-2 after 40 minutes. Alex Belzile made it 7-2 with his fifth goal of the season in the third period. It was unassisted.