In Montreal on Saturday, the visiting Colorado Avalanche had a good thing going.
They were scoreless with the Canadiens until the third period when the house fell in on them.
The Habs struck for three goals and sent the Avs to their ninth loss in the last 10 matches.
“It was a tight checking game, not a whole bunch going on as far as producing scoring chances on either end of it,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “And, you know, each team had a little flurry here and there through the first two periods.”
Carey Price made 28 saves to get the win.
Brett Kulak and Jesperi Kotkaniemi struck in the early stages of the final frame, just 2:28 apart.
“Obviously, [Kulak] came out with a big goal there and we played pretty solid on the defensive side of the puck tonight,” Price said.
Jordie Benn added a late empty-net goal.
Montreal improved to 24-17-5.
The Avs were scoreless in four power play chances.
“Our power play kind of struggled tonight,” Bednar said. “I thought Montreal did a really nice job up ice disrupting our rhythm, and we didn’t get set up really like we normally do. And we kind of struggled through that, and then they ended up giving up a goal against, too, on the face-off there at the end. … So it turns out to be the difference in the hockey game.
“I mean, if we can step up on one of those power plays and find a way to put one in, and you know, it’s a different hockey game. But we were unable to do that, and we’ve got to give Montreal credit for that.”
[WATCH: All Avalanche vs. Canadiens highlights]
Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves in the loss.
The Avs dropped to 20-17-8.
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