MTL@PIT: Byron comes up big

PITTSBURGH - Stealing two points away from the Penguins on home turf is no easy task, but the Canadiens did just that on Saturday night to earn their first win of the season.

Handing Mike Sullivan's squad a 5-1 loss at PPG Paints Arena was the perfect way to close out their season-opening road trip, during which they earned three out of a possible four points.
It was Paul Byron who led the way offensively against the Penguins with a pair of goals and a helper, too, feeding Joel Armia for his first career tally in a Canadiens uniform - and it came short-handed.
"We talked about it all camp. That's the way we want to play. We want to play with pace. We want to move pucks up quick. We want to make sure with our group, with the talent we have, with the skating ability that we have, that we can play that fast game," said Byron, who registered his first and second goals of the season. "So far, it's working pretty well for us. To start off on the road like that, it was a great effort from everyone."

Brendan Gallagher isn't at all surprised to see Byron contribute in a big way early on this season.
"He's just consistent. You watch Paul, he's going to be that way every game. He creates great chances with his speed. You talk to anyone that plays with him, or anyone that plays against him - you've got to be aware of him," praised Gallagher, after watching the 29-year-old Ottawa native torch the Penguins in their own barn. "He's one of the fastest players in the League. He definitely uses it. Game after game, he's an effective player for us."

It goes without saying, of course, that head coach Claude Julien is ecstatic to have Byron on board for the foreseeable future after he inked a four-year contract extension in late September.
"He's been a good player for quite a while," mentioned Julien, on the two-time 20-goal scorer and assistant captain. "We're so happy we got him re-signed. He's a great addition to our team. Not only that, he's wearing a letter because he's a great leader. We need guys like that to win hockey games."
Commitment is the key
The Canadiens weren't just good on offense on Saturday night, they were solid defensively as well with 22 blocked shots. For their part, the Penguins blocked just seven.
"That's commitment. I think there's good commitment here," shared Julien, who helmed the Habs to their first win in Pittsburgh since October 2015. "There's also pride, and I think the quicker you get in front of those shots, the less dangerous it becomes. I think we were closing quicker, and because of that a lot of times pucks are hitting us."

Byron and defensemen Mike Reilly and Jordie Benn led the way for the Canadiens with three blocked shots each.
"Obviously, when you see that many blocked shots, it's a committed effort," offered Gallagher, before praising the Canadiens' shot-blocker-in-chief in between the pipes. "Having Pricey [Carey Price] back there, his saves were probably a bit tougher than ours. It's a big advantage having him back there."
The six-time All-Star turned aside 21 of the 22 shots he faced.
The importance of staying humble
The Canadiens have every reason to be proud of the work they've put in to begin the 2018-19 campaign, but there's still a very long way to go.
The veteran bench boss stressed that point during his postgame press conference.
"It's two games on 82. A really good trip, but we still have a lot of hockey left to play," explained Julien. "I think we've just got to stay grounded and keep working on the things that help us win hockey games."

Byron also stressed that approach following his first-star performance in the Steel City.
"I thought everybody has really bought in so far and right now it's paying off," he mentioned. "Everybody's got to keep doing that and keep sticking with the program."