(SportsNetwork.com) – The quick-starting Montreal Canadiens will try to push
their winning streak to five straight games on Monday night as they kick off
a road trip against the Edmonton Oilers.
The Habs are set to play three straight in Western Canada after finishing off
a perfect four-game homestand with Saturday’s 3-1 win over the New York
Rangers. Carey Price made 34 saves in the win in the first meeting between the
teams since last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
Price sustained a knee injury in Game 1 of the 2014 East finals and missed the
remainder of the series, a contributing factor to the Rangers’ prevailing in
six games. The standout goaltender was healthy and in top form on Saturday,
however, yielding just a first-period goal to Carl Hagelin to help Montreal
move to 7-1-0 on the young season.
“I thought we played really well. Things are coming around,” said Price
afterward. “The guys are letting me see the puck. The short rebounds I’m
letting out are being gobbled up by our D-men.”
Max Pacioretty had a goal and an assist in the win, while Tomas Plekanec and
Lars Eller also scored.
Montreal is set to play the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night, with Price and
Dustin Tokarski possibly splitting the starts. Price is only 1-5-1 with a 3.71
goals against average and .857 save percentage in seven prior meetings with
the Oilers, while Tokarski has never faced them.
While Montreal is off to a fast start to the season, the Oilers are looking to
rebound from some early struggles. They opened the campaign 0-4-1, but have
since ripped off three straight wins.
Edmonton secured another victory in the fourth contest of a seven-game
homestand on Friday, using a four-goal third period to down the Carolina
Hurricanes 6-3. The Oilers scored three straight goals after Carolina tied the
contest with 12:10 left in regulation.
Rookie Leon Draisaitl started the game-winning run with his first career NHL
goal as the third overall pick of the 2014 draft one-timed David Perron’s
cross-ice feed with 7:05 to play.
“It was really exciting. It’s something that every hockey player dreams of as
a kid,” said Draisaitl.
Jordan Eberle finished with two goals and an assist while Jesse Joensuu, Matt
Hendricks and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all lit the lamp for Edmonton. Nugent-
Hopkins has scored in three straight games.
Ben Scrivens made 27 saves in the victory. He is 1-2-0 with a 2.75 GAA and
.903 save percentage in four prior meetings with the Canadiens, including
three starts.
The Oilers and Canadiens split their two meetings a season ago, with each team
winning on the road. Montreal has still lost eight of its past 11 in Edmonton,
however.
