GAME STORY: Canadiens 5, Oilers 1

EDMONTON, AB – The Price was right for Montreal on Saturday.

Carey Price made 34 saves while Jeff Petry and Tomas Tatar each scored a pair of goals as the Canadiens dealt the Oilers a 5-1 defeat on Saturday at Rogers Place.

FIRST BLOOD

It was a former Oilers defenceman who opened the scoring for Montreal on the power play at 6:50 of the first period as Petry tallied his first goal of the season with a heck of an individual effort. Petry fired a shot on net from the right circle and Mikko Koskinen made the stop, but the puck ricocheted into the air and Petry knocked it into the crease and between Koskinen’s legs before quickly circling around the back of the net and converting into a mostly vacated cage.

PLAY OF THE GAME

A turnover in the neutral zone allowed the Canadiens to enter Oilers territory on an abbreviated three-on-one rush with Phillip Danault delivering a perfect pass to Tatar who one-timed a snap-shot with precision to the near-side top corner, just out of the reach of Koskinen’s glove to give the visitors a 2-0 lead at the 2:19 mark of the middle frame.

SAVE OF THE GAME

Trailing 1-0 late in the first period, the Oilers had a golden opportunity to even the score when Connor McDavid stole the puck at the Edmonton blueline and exploded in on a partial breakaway. Just before he was about to release his shot, though, Joel Edmundson gave him a whack on the stick and Price was able to make a save on the hampered attempt.

TURNING POINT

The Oilers were still within striking distance midway through the second period as they were behind 3-0 but had an oppotunity to cut into the deficit with a power play. Leon Draisaitl set up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in tight but, of course, Price made yet another save and the Canadiens quickly got the puck up ice as Jake Evans and Paul Byron had a two-on-one rush. Evans kept the puck, shot and got denied by Koskinen before burying his own rebound to make it 4-0 with the shorthanded marker.

TOP PERFORMER

Of all the success Price has enjoyed in his career, his games against the Oilers heading into this season were quite the opposite as he took a dismal 3-9-1 record, 3.65 GAA and .861 save percentage into Saturday’s matchup. The Montreal netminder finally solved his most frustrating opponent with a sparkling 34-save performance that included a number of highlight-reel denials.

NEXT UP

The Oilers and Canadiens will conclude their two-game series on Monday at 7pm MT.

PARTING WORDS

Check back for post-game comments from Oilers players and Head Coach Dave Tippett.