The Montreal Canadiens scored three times before the game was six minutes old in defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Bell Centre.
GAME RECAP | Montreal Canadiens 3 vs Columbus Blue Jackets 0 | FINAL
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0.Canadiens Lineup
Forwards
22 Cole Caufield - 14 Nick Suzuki - 20 Juraj Slafkovsky
89 Joshua Roy - 15 Alex Newhook - 40 Joel Armia
11 Brendan Gallagher - 71 Jake Evans - 17 Josh Anderson
55 Michael Pezzetta - 49 Rafael Harvey-Pinard - 70 Tanner Pearson
Defensemen
8 Mike Matheson - 21 Kaiden Guhle
72 Arber Xhekaj - 58 David Savard
47 Jayden Struble - 26 Johnathan Kovacevic
Goaltenders
Starter: 30 Cayden Primeau
Alternate: 35 Sam Montembeault
Out of the lineup
Scratches: Jesse Ylonen, Jordan Harris
Injuries: Carey Price (knee), Chris Wideman (back), Kirby Dach (knee), Christian Dvorak (upper body), Colin White (upper body)
Canadiens Connection podcast
Game Report
Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins hadn't made a start in goal for 10 days. He lasted just 5:48 in the Blue Jackets net on Tuesday night. The Canadiens scored three times on their first four shots on goal chasing Merzlikins who was replaced by Daniil Tarasov.
Brendan Gallagher opened the scoring just 21 seconds into the contest, set up on a smart play by Jake Evans. Almost three minutes later, Juraj Slafkovsky put the Canadiens up 2-0 firing a one-timer for a power play goal. Joshua Roy was credited with the third Montreal goal as an Arber Xhekaj point hot deflected off him into the Columbus goal.
And that was it for the scoring, all recorded before the six minute mark of the game. Tarasov and Cayden Primeau stopped everything that came their way. Primeau registered his second shutout of the season.
Icing a lineup that was bolstered by the Cleveland Monsters, Columbus carried the play for all three periods and dominated time in the offensive zone. Shot attempts were 71-38 for the Blue Jackets, however, high-danger scoring chances were even at 11-11 (5vs5.)
The Canadiens had a considerable advantage blocking shots at 32-7. Jake Evans, Tanner Pearson, Michael Pezzetta and Rafael Harvey-Pinard were the only Canadiens without a blocked shot.
Montreal defended well killing four penalties upping their streak to zero goals in the past 14 times they have been shorthanded.
Game Statistics
Canadiens (25-30-10)
Shots: 23
Face-off %: 46.8
Power play: 1/3
Penalty minutes: 10
Hits: 18
Blocks: 32
Blue Jackets (22-33-10)
Shots: 41
Face-off %: 53.2
Power play: 0/4
Penalty minutes: 8
Hits: 16
Blocks: 7
Scoring Summary
Canadiens Scorers
1st period: Gallagher (11), Slafkovsky (14)-PPG, Roy (4)
2nd period: --
3rd period: --
OT: --
SO: --
Blue Jackets Scorers
1st period: --
2nd period: --
3rd period: --
OT: --
SO: --
Goaltenders
MTL: Primeau (W) 6-6-2
CBJ: Merzlikins (L) 12-14-7, Tarasov
Canadiens Players of the Game
David Savard - Savard had seven blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in over twenty-two minutes of ice time..
Cayden Primeau - Primeau made 41 saves. He has now shutout Columbus and Anaheim this season. Sam Montembeault has one career shutout in 134 games over parts of six seasons.
Video Highlights
Post-game Quotes
Cayden Primeau
"It just means so much all the support. There are truly no words to describe it."
Up Next
The Canadiens complete their three game home stand as they host the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
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