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 Center Jared McCann, a 19-year-old rookie, scored twice and veteran
right winger Derek Dorsett added a goal and an assist as the Canucks
beat the Canadiens 5-1 to snap Montreal's season-opening winning
streak.
"It's pretty crazy," McCann said about the first two-goal game of
his young career. "One of the Original Six teams. It was huge."
Montreal (9-1-0) failed to tie the NHL record of 10 wins to begin a
season, a mark shared by the 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs and 2006-07
Buffalo Sabres.
Vancouver (4-2-3) ended a four-game losing skid by posting its first
home win after five losses.
"We really wanted that first win at home probably more than they
wanted that 10-game winning streak," Vancouver left winger Alex
Burrows said. "It's a huge measuring stick against probably the best
team in the league right now.
"We got off to a good start, got pucks on the net. A couple of lucky
bounces went our way. Overall, it was a good team effort. Everyone
stepped up."
The Canucks blew third-period leads three times while losing at
home. Against the Canadiens, they leaped out to a 3-0, first-period
lead and didn't panic when Montreal made it 3-1 early in the third.
"We started the game out as well as we have in the past," McCann
said. "I just thought tonight we finished it off a lot better.
"We just stayed focused. We bared down and kept things going, and it
really helped us."
Right winger Radim Vrbata, on the power play, and defenseman Luca
Sbisa also scored for the Canucks. Left winger Brandon Prust,
playing his first game against his old team, had two assists for
Vancouver but left the game late in the second period due to an
ankle injury.
Prust will have an MRI on the ankle Wednesday and won't travel with
the Canucks on their two-game road trip.
Prust said he was trying to protect the puck, hit a rut and rolled
over on his ankle.
"I didn't hear anything pop, but it's definitely sore," he said.
Center Torrey Mitchell scored for the Canadiens.
The Canucks benefitted from several bounces to score goals.
McCann opened the scoring when Prust blasted a shot from the right
faceoff circle that Montreal goaltender Carey Price got a glove on.
The puck fell out of Price's glove, rolled down his back and fell
behind him. McCann jammed it into the net.
Sbisa scored Vancouver's second goal when his shot from the point
deflected off Montreal defenseman Nathan Beaulieu's stick and past
Price.
Dorsett's goal came when he tried to pass across the front of the
net. The puck deflected off the skate of right winger Alexander
Semin and trickled past Price.
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"It was a weird game," Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. "They
got their break in the first period ... and they capitalized on
their chances. They played a really solid game."
Therrien downplayed the end of the Canadiens' winning streak.
"You guys are the one to talk about it," he said. "We certainly had
a good start, but right now we've got to refocus."
Canadiens right winger Brendan Gallagher was more blunt.
"We got our asses kicked tonight," he said. "They took it to us.
"I don't think we can look at one area of the game and say we were
better than them. They played well, we've got to give them credit.
They outplayed us in every aspect of the game, and we didn't deserve
to win."
Dorsett said the Canucks didn't pay a lot of attention to the talk
surrounding Montreal's quick start.
"We wanted to make sure we focused on our game, and I think we did a
good job of that," he said.
NOTES: Canucks D Dan Hamhuis was a late scratch due to a lower-body
injury. He was replaced by D Matt Bartkowski. RW Jake Virtanen moved
onto the second line with C Brandon Sutter and LW Alex Burrows. ...
Vancouver RW Jannik Hansen played on the third line with LW Sven
Bartkowski and C Bo Horvat. ... Vancouver plays in Dallas on
Thursday and in Arizona on Friday. ... Montreal G Carey Price was
attended by a trainer Monday after taking a high, hard shot in
practice. ... Every Canadiens forward who has played a game this
season has recorded at least one point. ... Montreal has used the
same lineup for every game this season. ... The Canadiens' scratches
were D Greg Pateryn, D Jarred Tinordi and LW Paul Byron. ...
Montreal's road trip continues in Edmonton on Thursday.
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