Canadiens start fast, hold off Jets in Game 1

WINNIPEG --The Montreal Canadiens scored three goals in the first period, including twice in the opening 5:10, before hanging on for a 5-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Second Round at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday.

"I thought the way we came out in that first 10, 15 minutes and the way we battled, the way we played, a couple early goals, and it kind of set the tone for us," Canadiens forward Corey Perry said. "It's not easy coming off a Game 7 (a 3-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday), the high and getting ready for Game 1 of a new series and new opponent, and only two days later."
Eric Staal had a goal and an assist, and Carey Price made 27 saves for the Canadiens, the No. 4 seed in the Scotia North Division.
"We were solid on both sides of the puck," Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme said. "We made good decisions with the puck and had support and created offense. Without the puck, we defended well and we were on them all night. We had numbers on them defensively and didn't give them much. It was a pretty complete game."

Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for the Jets, the No. 3 seed, who were playing their first game in nine days after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the first round.
"They came out with a lot of energy while we were just trying to establish our game," Hellebuyck said. "I think moving forward here, we are going to keep fine-tuning our game more and more. We're going to continue to get better."
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is here Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; USA, CBC, SN, TVAS).
Canadiens forward Jake Evans was taken off the ice on a stretcher with 57 seconds remaining in the third period. He was injured on a hit by Mark Scheifele after wrapping the puck into an empty net to make it 5-3.
Scheifele was assessed a charging major and game misconduct.
"Hopefully the young man is going to be all right," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. "It's such a highly unusual play because you're backchecking back to kill an empty-net play, you're coming full speed. When Mark stopped skating, he kept his arms in. It's a heavy, heavy hit. There's no doubt about that. I'm sure the League will have its opinion."
Ducharme said, "You never want to see that, a player down on the ice like that. We went through that in Toronto with [John] Tavares (injury in Game 1). He's not a player in our uniform, but it's an accident and both sides want him to feel better. I didn't feel that from the other side when it happened."

Jesperi Kotkaniemi gave Montreal a 1-0 lead at 3:30 of the first period, redirecting a shot from Jeff Petry.
"I just like the big games," Kotkaniemi said. "Every game matters, so trying to do your best and you're trying hard enough, every once in a while you get the puck in the net."
Staal scored his first of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to make it 2-0 at 5:10 when he shot into an open net after receiving a cross-crease pass from Perry.
"Playoffs are about adapting and getting to know your opponent and being ready for your opponent and knowing who is on the ice," Perry said. "They have guys over there that can break a game open with speed and skill and guys that can score. We know who's on the ice, we just have to be aware of that. We just have to take care of ourselves and we're going to be OK."
Adam Lowry cut it to 2-1 at 11:52, stealing the puck from Erik Gustafsson and scoring shorthanded on a breakaway.
"I think we knew they were going to come out, they were going to have their legs right away [with] them coming off that emotional game in Toronto and, you know, being sharp," Lowry said. "I think we just lacked a little sharpness early. A couple of mental mistakes. Dug ourselves a hole but, you know, [we] didn't quit."
Nick Suzuki pushed the lead to 3-1 at 17:14, toe-dragging Hellebuyck on a 2-on-1 before tucking a shot inside the left post.
Derek Forbort cut it to 3-2 at 9:22 of the third period, and Brendan Gallagher scored a power-play goal on the rebound of Shea Weber's shot to make it 4-2 at 11:04.
With Hellebuyck pulled for the extra skater, Kyle Connor made it 4-3 with a one-timer at 18:18.
"I thought [the Canadiens] were real good. They looked like they were right in their rhythm. We weren't as good as we have been," Maurice said. "We didn't come to the rink to play regular-season hockey. We understand. We're excited about the challenge we have here. We can get better, we know that. They played a [heck] of a game."
NOTES: Jets forward Paul Stastny did not play for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Dominic Toninato, who had one hit in 5:33 of ice time. Maurice said Stastny is day to day. … Winnipeg defenseman Dylan DeMelo left the game after sustaining a lower-body injury on the opening shift of the game. Maurice said he will have a better idea of his status Thursday.