Sam Montembeault made 30 saves, and Jake Evans contributed a goal and an assist as the Montreal Canadiens shut out the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 on Monday.
Brendan Gallagher and Kaiden Guhle also scored for Montreal, who have won three of their last four games (3-1-0).
Montembeault earned his second shutout of the season. The 28-year-old has played in every one of Montreal’s last eight games, starting seven of them. His solid play has made him the Canadiens’ top goaltender.
This was Edmonton’s third shutout loss of the season and ended their four-game point streak (3-0-1).
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had their four-game multi-point streaks broken in the shutout.
The Oilers, usually a high-scoring team, have averaged just 2.63 goals per game this season. Draisaitl (13) and McDavid (7) have scored 20 of Edmonton’s goals, but the rest of the team has not been contributing much offensively.
Calvin Pickard made 22 saves on 24 shots for the Oilers.
Both teams played with a lot of energy through the first two periods, but there weren’t many clear scoring chances. Edmonton led 21-14 in shots after 40 minutes, but Montembeault and the Canadiens defense did a good job of limiting the Oilers’ opportunities.
Montreal didn’t get on the scoreboard until 31 seconds before the second intermission. Mike Matheson took a shot from the boards, and Gallagher redirected it past Pickard to give Montreal a 1-0 lead.
It was Gallagher’s eighth goal of the season, though only his second point at home. He has eight points (six goals, two assists) in nine away games but just one assist and Monday’s goal in 10 home games.
Guhle extended the lead to 2-0 at 5:52 of the third period. Montreal forced a turnover in Edmonton’s zone, leading to a quick passing play that ended with Guhle scoring on a wrist shot from the circle. Evans earned the second assist.
With 3:08 left in the game, Evans sealed the win with an empty-net goal, sending a shot from his own slot all the way down the ice into the open net.
