Canadiens 3 - 1 Hurricanes
Final
  for this game

Canadiens get by offense-starved Hurricanes

Dec 30, 2014 - 4:52 AM Raleigh, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Lars Eller and Jiri Sekac both scored for the Montreal Canadiens in their 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday.

Carey Price made 28 saves and Max Pacioretty added an empty-netter to secure the win, the Canadiens' third straight and sixth in their last seven games.

"We didn't play a good third period, but we were able to hold on," Price said.

Jordan Staal, in his first game of the season, was credited with an assist on his brother Eric's power-play goal early in the third period, but that was all Carolina mustered. The Hurricanes have scored more than two goals just once in the past 14 games and are 3-10-1 during that stretch.

Cam Ward only made 16 saves and suffered his 14th loss of the season.

Montreal had a goal waived off in the first period when it was ruled Brendan Gallagher made contact with Ward before the puck hit the back of the net.

Sekac was sent off for tripping 4:30 into the second, but after the Hurricanes failed to capitalize, Sekac escaped the penalty box, stick-handled through the defense and threw a backhand on net that fooled Ward.

Late in the second, Sergei Gonchar kept the puck in the Montreal zone, and Dale Weise fed Eller for a one-timer from the right circle. The goal, which came with 1:15 remaining in the period, was the 21,000th in Canadiens history.

Eric Staal scored off a rebound at the 2:59 mark of the third, but Price was strong between the pipes the rest of the way.

"We had our chances, we just couldn't put them home," Carolina forward Riley Nash said.

Game Notes

Jordan Staal missed the first 35 games of the season after breaking his right fibula in a preseason game ... Jiri Tlusty also played in his first game since Dec. 11 and assisted on Carolina's only goal ... Eric Staal was appearing in his 800th career game ... This was the second game of five straight on the road for Montreal ... The Canadiens have won four straight over the Hurricanes and are 7-0-1 in the last eight meetings.






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