The toughest of towns

SAN JOSE - The Shark Tank hasn't been kind to visiting teams so far this season, and that didn't change on Friday night.

Michel Therrien's troops were handed their second straight loss on California soil, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Sharks at the SAP Center. It marked the 10th straight defeat for the Canadiens in San Jose, with their last victory in Silicon Valley coming all the way back in November 1999.
After Brent Burns put Peter DeBoer's squad up by one early with a power play goal just 5:22 into the opening frame, captain Joe Pavelski scored the eventual game-winner at the 19:03 mark of the period, converting a tape-to-tape feed from Joe Thornton.
Then, goaltender Martin Jones took over the rest of the way, turning aside 31 of 32 shots against to post his 13th win of the season. Only Artturi Lehkonen snuck a puck past him on a man advantage with 1:17 remaining in regulation time, but the Canadiens simply couldn't complete the comeback effort before the final buzzer.

"They jumped on us early. Obviously, we gave them a couple of power plays early to get their legs going. They've got a dangerous power play," said Brendan Gallagher. "They were able to score one, and once we got behind, it's tough to come from behind, especially in this building."
Once again, Carey Price did everything in his power to give the Canadiens a fighting chance against one of the toughest teams in the Western Conference up and down the lineup. The former Vezina Trophy, Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award winner made 28 saves on the night, many of which were of the highlight-reel variety. Unfortunately, Jones was equally stellar at the other end of the rink.
"It would have been nice to get off to a better start, obviously, in this building, but they're renowned for coming out hard. I thought the guys played pretty well. We just ran into another goalie that's playing well," said Price, giving full credit to the Sharks' starter for a job well done. "We've just got to keep grinding it out. There's nothing else you can do. We've just got to keep working and hopefully our fortunes will turn around for the rest of the trip."

Even though the Canadiens failed to put up a number in the win column, it's safe to say lady luck was very much on their side when Alexander Radulov came away with just a minor cut and stitches after taking a high-stick just above his right eye from Sharks centerman Logan Couture late in the third period. The situation could have easily been far worse.
"It's just a play. I was going to the net and I think their guy was just trying to box me out and trying to protect the slot area, not letting me in. It's just a part of the game. It's o.k. It's all good," said Radulov, who left the ice immediately to receive medical attention from the Canadiens' training staff. "The stick comes under the shield. It's scary, but it's o.k."
Up next for the Canadiens is a date with the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday afternoon at the STAPLES Center where they'll be looking to cap off their annual California road swing with their first victory in the Golden State since March 2014.
In order to get the job done, though, they're going to have to get back on track offensively and capitalize on scoring chances far more often than they are right now.
"We've got to find ways to put pucks in. I don't know what it is, but whatever the case, bear down in front and put pucks in," concluded Gallagher. "We all had chances [on Friday night]. It's just a matter of putting them behind the goalie."