Montoya blanks Penguins in Canadiens' home opener
MONTREAL - David Desharnais scored twice and Al Montoya made 36 saves as the Montreal Canadiens won their home opener, 4-0 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
Off-season signing Alexander Radulov got his first goal as a Canadien - with Montoya picking up an assist - while Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal, which has started the season 2-0-1. Montoya, signed from the Florida Panthers this summer, picked up his sixth career shutout.
The Penguins, coming off an overtime loss at home Monday night, played their first road game of the season.
While the ailing Carey Price got a huge ovation from the Bell Centre crowd in pre-game introductions, his replacement Montoya was spectacular in goal as Pittsburgh outshot the Canadiens 36-32. Of note were saves a minute apart in the first period on close range attempts by Justin Schultz and Matt Cullen.
There were 30 shots taken in the first - 17-13 for Pittsburgh - but was on only the second of the period that Pacioretty opened the scoring at 23 seconds as he took a feed in the slot from Jeff Petry and beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot.
Desharnais was parked alone in front of Fleury when he slammed in Pacioretty's blind, backhand pass from the corner 12:07 into the second.
Radulov scored 4:31 into the third as he burst down the right wing and cut in front. The Penguins challenged, claiming goaltender interference by Brendan Gallagher, but the goal stood.
Desharnais was alone at the side of the net to tap in a cross-ice pass from Jeff Petry at 13:44 after sustained pressure in the Pittsburgh zone.
NOTES: The Canadiens made one lineup change, sending in Brian Flynn for Daniel Carr. ... Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby (concussion) did not play. ... The Penguins went with Fleury in goal for a second consecutive night rather than use backup Mike Condon, who they claimed off waivers from Montreal two weeks ago. Condon lost the backup job in camp to Montoya. ... In pre-game introductions, former coach Jacques Demers, recovering from a stroke, brought out a torch in his wheelchair to pass to Pacioretty. Shea Weber, obtained in the deal for P.K. Subban, got the loudest applause of the players on the ice.