MONTREAL _ The game was lost in the first period as Jimmy Howard got no help from his teammates and the Montreal Canadiens demonstrated why they are virtually invincible.
The Detroit Red Wings were outperformed in every category Saturday at Bell Centre, schooled by the Montreal Canadiens to the tune of a 5-0 loss.
Carey Price earned his 38th career shutout, second against Detroit, with 25 saves, but it wasn't his hardest-earned shutout as the Wings played their worst game of the season.
The only good part of the night for the Wings came before the game started, when the Canadiens _ a franchise that appreciates legends _ paid tribute to Gordie Howe as this marked the first visit by the Wings since Howe passed away in June.
After that, the Habs were merciless, showing why they have lost only twice _ once in regulation _ in 15 games. After two periods they had a 5-0 lead on 25 shots, which gave Petr Mrazek the opportunity to get in some work in the third period. The Wings had talked in the morning about playing better in front of Howard, who had been stellar the previous three games, but the talk didn't translate into action.
The Canadiens came out storming and had a goal to show for it before 5 minutes had passed, when Phillip Danault poked the puck in as it lay loose in the paint. There was no defender on Danault. By 8 minutes in the Wings were down 2-0, as a Niklas Kronwall turnover at Montreal's blueline enabled Paul Byron to race off on a breakaway. Halfway through the period, shots were 7-3 to Montreal.
The Wings went 5 minutes without generating a chance on Price at one point. Then they got into penalty trouble _ first Luke Glendening, then Steve Ott _ setting up a minute-plus of 5-on-3. The Habs needed but seconds; Alex Galchenyuk won a faceoff against Frans Nielsen, and before Howard could blink Shea Weber had sent a slap shot into the net to make it 3-0.
The Wings' best stretch came during a 4-minute power play in the second period. Good puck possession saw shots from Brendan Smith, Justin Abdelkader, Nielsen and Gustav Nyquist, but Price showed why he's one of the best goaltenders in the game.
Byron put the puck in Detroit's net halfway through the second period but the Wings challenged goaltender interference and won as reviews showed Byron pushed Howard's pad to make the puck cross the goal line.
Howard's second-period highlights included a big stop on Alexander Radulov as he hovered near the net. The Canadiens still got it to 4-0 when they got another power play, as Andrew Shaw won the faceoff and then was down low to deflect the puck. Max Pacioretty used a backhand to pile on with three minutes to go in the second period.
Mrazek, last seen in the loss to Winnipeg, took over to start the third period to sharpen his skills. That the game was lost was clear.
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