Carey Price, Canadiens shut out Canucks

MONTREAL-- The Montreal Canadiens have the best 10-game start in their history, thanks in large part to their goaltender.
Carey Price made 42 saves for his first shutout of the season, a 3-0 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Bell Centre on Wednesday.

The Canadiens (9-0-1) have 19 points in the standings after 10 games for the first time. Montreal had 18 points last season (9-1-0) and in 1943-44 (8-0-2).
"For sure we're proud of it," Price said. "I think everybody was disappointed the way we finished last year and we wanted to get off to a hot start this year and prove that we're still a good hockey team. That's exactly what we got."

Second-period goals by Nathan Beaulieu and Torrey Mitchell helped the Canadiens extend their winning streak to eight games. Alexander Radulov scored an empty-net goal with 1:55 remaining in the third period.
Ryan Miller made 19 saves for the Canucks (4-5-1), who lost their sixth straight game after starting the season with four straight wins. Vancouver was shut out for the third time in its past four games.
"It's tough when you're not seeing the pucks end up where we need them to at the other end," Miller said. "We got some good looks, Price played well. It's like you need the puck to go an extra foot or two for a clean shot, and it's not quite working out for us on that end."
The Canucks outshot the Canadiens 13-3 in the first period and were outshooting them 22-3 at 6:00 of the second period.
"We're so happy to have [Price], but we can't rely on him," Montreal captain Max Pacioretty said. "It's tough to go home and feel good about that."

The shots were 26-10 Canucks when Beaulieu gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead at 12:22 of the second, scoring his first of the season on a rebound off a shot by Brendan Gallagher. It was the fourth goal of Beaulieu's NHL career, his first at Bell Centre.
The Canadiens went ahead 2-0 at 19:11 when Mitchell scored on a feed from Philip Danault on a 2-on-1 for his fifth goal on his ninth shot on goal of the season.
The Canadiens scored on their 11th and 13th shots on goal, and the Canucks were outshooting them 30-13 after Mitchell scored.

Goal of the game

Mitchell's goal demoralized the Canucks, and it was the patient play of Danault to pass it around Vancouver defenseman Philip Larsen that made the play. "The second goal was a huge goal for us," Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said. "The Mitchell line has been the most consistent line, I'll say, since the beginning of the year."

Save of the game

At about the midway point of the third period, Price made a left-shoulder save on a chance by Loui Eriksson on the doorstep off a feed from Brandon Sutter to maintain a 2-0 lead.

Unsung moment of the game

With the Canadiens on a power play late in the first period, Radulov and Andrew Shaw each eliminated a potential Canucks scoring chance shorthanded by backchecking hard to break up the rush.

Highlight of the game

Late in the first period, the Canucks took a shot from the point that Sutter deflected in the slot, but Price made a quick reaction save and kicked out his pad at the last second to keep it 0-0.

They said it

"I've been on other teams, and every time you come in to Montreal you've got that, I don't want to call it a block, but you know you're trying to score on Carey Price, best goalie in the world. It's not easy. It's definitely in the back of your mind before the game." -- Canadiens forward Torrey Mitchell
"You have to stay with your process, you don't have any choice. You have to create shots, and I thought we had a better effort tonight creating shots. I would believe if we played like that every night we'll win our share of games, so that's what we have to believe." -- Canucks coach Willie Desjardins on their struggles to score
"I'm pretty awake." -- Canadiens goalie Carey Price when told defenseman Nathan Beaulieu called this game a wakeup call

Need to know

Canucks forwards Alexandre Burrows (neck) and Derek Dorsett (shoulder), and defenseman Chris Tanev (lower body) returned to the lineup. … Canadiens center Alex Galchenyuk had two assists, giving him a point in eight of the 10 games (three goals, seven assists). … The Canucks established a season high with 42 shots on goal. Their previous high was 31 in each of their first two games.

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What's next

Canucks: At the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS, SNV, NHL.TV)
Canadiens: At the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, SNE, RDS, NHL.TV)