Price gets first win since 2021 Cup Final, Canadiens defeat Panthers

MONTREAL --Carey Price won for the first time since Game 4 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, and the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Florida Panthers 10-2 at Bell Centre on Friday.

In his 700th NHL start (712th appearance), all with Montreal, Price made 37 saves. It was his fifth start of the season (1-4-0) after making his season debut April 15, a 3-0 loss to the New York Islanders.
"He's the backbone of our team," Canadiens forward Cole Caufield said. "He's the guy you want to play for, and just having him in the room every day was just something special. You can just feel the energy he brings. No matter if he's excited or not, you can just feel him back there. And it helps a lot that he's very good at his job."
Caufield scored his first NHL hat trick, and Jordan Harris got his first NHL goal for Montreal (22-49-11), which had 16 of 18 skaters get at least one point and won its final two games of the season.
"The support the fans have given us this year through a tough season, and a franchise that has so much success, and the fact that they can encourage us and support us through some tougher times, it's much appreciated for sure," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "And I felt tonight it was our way of saying thank you. I think we owed it to them to finish strong and we did."

Ben Chiarot had a goal and an assist against his former team for Florida (58-18-6), which clinched the Presidents' Trophy and will face the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round beginning Tuesday.
"We've been prepared for anybody and everybody," Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg said. "So, we know that it's obviously not going to be easy. We're going to have to go through the best teams in the League. So we're worrying about ourselves, worrying about playing our best hockey. We're confident in our group."
Jonas Johansson made 27 saves in his first NHL start since Feb. 24 for the Panthers who rested a number of players including forwards Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Claude Giroux, and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar for a second straight game.
"I thought we played hard," Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said. "I think we put 'Jo' in a little bit of a hard position, not playing all year, and we were asking a lot out of him. We knew Montreal would be excited and they want to finish their year on a good note, and it was one of those games that just got away."
Caufield gave the Canadiens a 3-0 lead at 4:30 of the first period with a shot from the right circle over the glove of Johansson. He made it 5-1 at 1:33 of the second period with his 22nd of the season to move ahead of Nick Suzuki for the team lead and pushed it to 9-1 at 8:12 of the third period, scoring from the slot.
"I'm not going to lie, it feels pretty good," Caufield said. "I think it was a fun night for all of us, playing for some pretty important people in our organization. I think it was a good way to go out and end the season on a win."

Harris put Montreal up 1-0 at 1:57 of the first period on a shot from the point.
Mike Hoffman made it 2-0 at 4:18, and Brendan Gallagher scored a power-play goal at 12:23 to push the lead to 4-0 and end an 11-game goal drought.
Chiarot made it 4-1 at 18:23 with a power-play goal.
Mathieu Perreault scored at 3:55 to extend it to 6-1 on a one-timer, Jake Evans tapped in the puck at 6:08 for 7-1, and Christian Dvorak made it 8-1 at 13:21 for Montreal's second straight four-goal period.
Tyler Pitlick put the Canadiens up 10-1 at 9:51 of the third period, prompting a "Guy! Guy! Guy!" chant from the fans. Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur, who wore No. 10 for the Canadiens, died April 22 at the age of 70.
"I think everything he did inspires me, but a lot of people and hockey players, in general, should just always look up to a guy like that," Caufield said of Lafleur. "I think it's crazy that we scored 10 goals tonight. You can't make that stuff up, [and] everything happens for a reason."
Noel Acciari scored at 14:55 for the 10-2 final.
"That was cool, really cool," Brunette said. "I wish we didn't give up 10. … He was my dad's favorite player and a lot of people, that generation, was all about Guy. Too bad we lost him so early but what a hockey player he was. You don't find too many [Lafleurs]."
NOTES:Panthers forward Anton Lundell and defenseman Gustav Forsling dressed but did not play. ... Caufield has 23 goals this season, tying him for second among NHL rookies with Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting and Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond. Hoffman ended the season on a five-game point streak (six points; four goals, two assists). … Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry ended the season on a five-game point streak (seven points; two goals, five assists). … Dvorak ended the season on a five-game point streak (seven points; one goal, six assists).