Canadiens try to achieve feat for first time in three decades vs. Columbus
The Montreal Canadiens' strong play came to a halt with a pair of home losses against two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Heading out on the road gives them a solid opportunity to get back on track.
Montreal looks to win six in a row away from home for the first time in nearly 33 years when it faces the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first time this season Wednesday night.
The Canadiens (26-12-3) concluded a perfect five-game trip with a 4-1 win over Pittsburgh on Jan. 3 while moving to 9-1-0 in their previous 10 overall. Montreal, though, failed to add to that successful stretch when it returned home.
It was outshot 36-22 in a 4-2 loss to Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay on Jan. 6 and fell 2-1 in overtime in the rematch with the Penguins on Saturday.
The Canadiens went scoreless in seven power-play chances over those two games and have converted once in 21 opportunities in the last seven. They allowed three goals in 10 short-handed situations on the short homestand.
Montreal ranks near the bottom of the NHL with a 13.7 power-play percentage.
"There are a couple of issues," center David Desharnais said. "First off, we're having trouble getting the puck in their zone, and it's hard to create scoring chances if you can't get the puck in. But when we do get in, our decision-making isn't great. We pass when we should be shooting, and we shouldn't be throwing away opportunities to get pucks on net like that."
The Canadiens' 13 road wins are tied for second most in the league, and they're looking to win six straight there for the first time since an eight-game run Jan. 21-Feb. 21, 1982.
"We've played well on the road recently so we're excited to get back out there," said right wing Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau, who is expected to return after missing the last three games due to a concussion.
"I don't think we played poorly at home over the last two games, but we certainly could have played better. Based on our previous road trip, we should expect to play some good hockey in Columbus and in Ottawa (on Thursday)."
Montreal is 3-1-1 in five all-time visits to Columbus, winning 3-2 in a shootout in the last one Nov. 15, 2013. The Blue Jackets (18-19-3) come in having dropped their last two games by 5-2 scores.
Saturday's defeat to the New York Islanders was just Columbus' second in regulation in its last nine at home (6-2-1), and another bad period doomed the Blue Jackets.
New York scored three times in the second after Columbus gave up four goals in the first in Friday's loss.
"We became undisciplined in certain areas of the game and it opened up holes and exposed us," coach Todd Richards said.
Center Ryan Johansen had a career-best five-game goal streak come to an end, but he registered an assist to give him six goals and six assists during a career high-tying 10-game point streak.
Johansen scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:01 remaining in a 3-2 win at Montreal on March 20.
