RECAP: Red Wings play 'a really good game' in Montreal, blank Canadiens, 4-0

MONTREAL -- Reclaiming sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division, the Detroit Red Wings won their third game in a row by shutting out the Montreal Canadiens, 4-0, at Bell Centre on Saturday night.

“It’s pretty satisfying,” said Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. “Especially how Opening Night went, to look at that game and then to tonight, it just shows how far we’ve come. They’re a heck of a hockey team.”

Netminder John Gibson finished with 27 saves for his third shutout of the campaign, improving to 12-2-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .932 save percentage in his past 14 starts for Detroit (27-15-4; 58 points). Montreal (25-14-6; 56 points), which saw its three-game winning streak halted, got 20 saves from goalie Jacob Fowler.

"The result, we're obviously really happy, but the process tonight," Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said. "The fixes that we made after Opening Night, we tried to adjust some things and I thought all 20 [players] from the goaltender out played a pretty solid game. We didn't give up much. When we did, Gibby was there. Power play gets us one. I thought we checked well tonight."

The night opened to some fast-paced and physical hockey between the Original Six rivals, with either only managing to register a handful of shots on net -- Detroit had six to Montreal’s three – in what was a goalless first period.

"Even the first chance they got tonight, it was a similar mistake as we had [on Opening Night]," McLellan said. "[Opening Night] set us up for this. We knew we had to do certain things to have a chance to win, and I was really happy with the buy-in."

After hitting the post twice in the opening frame, Lucas Raymond watched James van Riemsdyk’s dump-in from center ice take a fortunate bounce off the boards in the left corner and land in front of the crease, where he quickly snapped it into the wide-open net from his knee to give Detroit a 1-0 lead at 4:52.

"It's nice when the bounces are going your way," said van Riemsdyk, who has recorded 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 20 games dating back to Nov. 24. against the New Jersey Devils.

Jacob Bernard-Docker earned the secondary assist on Raymond’s 14th goal of the season.

“It’s funny how it works,” Raymond said. “You look at that first period, we had a ton of looks…Then you get one like that- take it and move on.”

At 11:43 of the second period, the Red Wings doubled the margin to 2-0 when Larkin one-timed a feed from Alex DeBrincat past Fowler on his club’s fourth-power play opportunity for his 23rd goal of the season. Mortiz Seider also picked up a helper on what also was Larkin’s 80th career NHL power play tally, moving the 29-year-old captain into a tie with Ted Lindsay for 10th place on Detroit’s all-time list.

"All the players, whether they view themselves as offensive, physical, checkers, they all followed a game plan and followed it pretty well," McLellan said.

DeBrincat added his 23rd goal of the campaign from the slot just 34 seconds into the third period, slapping home Patrick Kane’s backhand pass from along the boards to push the Red Wings ahead 3-0.

A secondary assist on DeBrincat’s third-period goal went to Andrew Copp, who later put things out of reach for the Canadiens with an empty netter with 1:07 to go. DeBrincat and Larkin assisted on Copp’s seventh goal of the season.

“It was a really good game,” Raymond said. “Obviously a shutout from Gibby, but we played a good solid 60 minutes. Got scoring in all different ways. Also, just coming out in that third period the way we did – got a goal right away. A really good game against a good team that we’re going to have to win games against.”

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will host the Carolina Hurricanes at Little Caesars Arena as part of Sergei Fedorov Jersey Retirement Night, presented by Meijer, on Monday.

WHAT WAS SAID

McLellan on Saturday's road win

"Not an easy building to play in. They've been playing really well. They've had our number, so we played well. It's a 4-0 win in the opposition's building on the road. Anytime you do that, you're pretty satisfied."

Larkin on Gibson’s confidence

“His record and demeanor speak for it. He’s calm. Even when things weren’t going well, he felt like it was going to turn and good on him. A veteran guy who doesn’t get too high or too low, stuck with it and believed in himself. Our whole team is getting a confidence boost from him when he’s in the net.”

Larkin on van Riemsdyk’s contributions

“He’s contributed a ton, I think, even in these games where the offense is spread out. Everyone is important and plays a big part in the team’s success.”

Raymond on the importance of evening up the regular-season series with Montreal

“It’s about winning the next game against these guys. They’re a good hockey team. They’re going to be up there together with us, so big game especially after they beat us the first time.”

Raymond on holding off Montreal late in the game

“We were up three goals with two minutes to go, which is a pretty good spot, but we have guys sacrificing their bodies. A really good full 60, even those last two minutes.”