MONTREAL (AP) Max Pacioretty Jersey stole the show before the game. Carey Price earned most accolades after the game. They combined to help the Montreal Canadiens to a franchise record.
Pacioretty, carrying a torch in the air as he took the ice before the game, was introduced as the 29th captain in Canadiens history.
Price made 25 saves to lead Montreal to a 3-0 victory against the New York Rangers on Thursday night. The win was the fifth consecutive Canadian victory to start the season, a franchise record.
'' It (the record) is gratifying, but I'm happy with the way the game of the team, '' said Pacioretty after his first home game since being named captain. '' It's so much fun to roll four lines and everyone will see.
'' There are no egos on this team right now. ''
Tomas Fleischmann, Tomas Plekanec and Dale Weise, with an empty-net effort, scored for the Canadians (5-0-0), who handed the Rangers (3-2-0) a second straight defeat.
Despite central Canadian teams that won a record 24 Stanley Cups, the previous club record for wins to start a season was four, the last achieved in 1977-78.
To set the record, the price displayed the form that earned him the Hart Trophy as MVP of the NHL and the Vezina as best goalkeeper last season.
Henrik Lundqvist New York, which is also considered among the best goalkeepers in the world, maybe even better in a losing cause, stopping 29 of 31 shots.
'' Hank was great tonight, Price said Lundqvist. '' It was a spectacle. Absolute clinic. I really enjoyed watching. He made a dozen truly spectacular saves. ''
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault agreed.
'' We were schooled tonight, '' he said. '' Our only moment came on a 5 against 3. They dominated us in all aspects of the game. If it was not for our goalkeeper, it could have been much worse. ''
Price was all-but unbeatable at home against the Rangers, posting a 9-1-1 record in their last 11 visits, allowing only nine goals.
There was playoff intensity and speed as the meeting of two clubs in the regular season top of last season.
'' It was a high-level game as a game in April, said the Montreal coach Michel Therrien.
Montreal Canadiens Jersey dominated the Rangers 32-25.
The Canadians scored first for the fifth time in as many games 8:46 of the second period. David Desharnais kept a puck at the blue line, then saw his shot go off Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Fleischmann batted bouncing puck past Lundqvist on the short side.
The end of the third period saw goalkeepers at their best. Montreal killed a two-man advantage when New York Price made a short side of brilliant stop on Derek Stepan and beat Rick Nash on a short-range explosion.
At the other end, Lundqvist snared a ball Alex Galchenyuk. The Swede then kept Rangers in the game in the third by stopping Brian Flynn on a breakaway and steal a large open Desharnais closely.
He was finally beaten again at 17:55 when Weise picked up on an opening with a shot from the right circle. Plekanec then put his fourth of the season into an open net.
'' Once again the Rangers played very well, '' Price Jersey said. '' This is an excellent hockey club there.
'' We have a lot of respect for that team and their abilities. They probably feel the same about us. In the future, I'm sure there will be much larger hockey matches between our teams. ''
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