Recap: Montreal vs. Ottawa
Sports Network | November 11, 2008
Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Christopher Higgins recorded his first career hat trick and Carey Price was perfect between the pipes as Montreal had its way with Ottawa in a 4-0 decision at the Bell Centre.
Price logged 28 saves for his first shutout of the year and fourth of his career, while Guillaume Latendresse registered the other goal for the Canadiens, who were coming off back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
Alex Auld made 27 saves in the Senators' second straight loss.
"They played well, we didn't," Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said. "We gave up three breakaways. We weren't as solid as we were previously."
Higgins recorded a shorthanded tally 7:22 into the opening period, as he broke free from the left side and beat Auld one-on-one with a wrister.
The game remained 1-0 through most of the second before Montreal scored two goals in 1:28.
Sergei Kostitsyn corralled a rebound from the right slot and fed Higgins on the opposite side for the relatively easy stuff past an off-balanced Auld with 5:49 to go in the frame.
Less than a minute and a half later, Latendresse's quick shot off a faceoff from the left circle caught Auld by surprise as the disk sailed over the goaltender's left shoulder.
Price denied all 10 shots he faced in the final period, including Dany Heatley on a breakaway with 12 1/2 minutes left in the game.
"It's the best complete game we've played so far this year," Price said.
Higgins capped his career night as he got behind the Ottawa defense and beat Auld with a wrister, reminiscent of his first tally, with 3:25 to play.
"To win a game like that is obviously a big thrill," Higgins said. "I feel pretty good tonight...It's nice and Carey got a deserving shutout as well."
Ottawa's Jarkko Ruutu was handed a 10-minute misconduct in the third period. He had three separate penalties in the game...On Thursday, Montreal heads to Boston to face the Bruins, while Ottawa hosts the New York Islanders...Both clubs went 0-for-4 on the power play...Even with the loss, Ottawa has taken eight of the last 12 in the series.
