Returning indoors helped the Montreal Canadiens get back on track.

Nicolas Deslauriers had the first two-goal game of his career as Montreal defeated the Vancouver Canucks 7-5 on Tuesday.

Jeff Petry, Daniel Carr and Phillip Danault each added a goal and an assist for Montreal (15-15-4), which travelled to the West Coast after falling 3-0 to the Ottawa Senators in SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 frigid outdoor NHL 100 Classic in the nationB次元官网网址檚 capital.

B次元官网网址淚t felt like in practice yesterday and this morning we were sucking dirty pond water when we were breathing,B次元官网网址� said Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty, who had two assists. B次元官网网址滻t was good to get back (and play inside).B次元官网网址�

Paul Byron and Alex Galachenyuk had the other goals for the Canadiens, who got 34 saves from Carey Price.

The fourth line of Deslauriers, Carr and Byron Froese combined for five points as 14 players found the scoresheet for Montreal.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not here for my points,B次元官网网址� said Deslauriers. B次元官网网址滲ut if I can contribute like this and take some pressure off our top line, it means a lot.B次元官网网址�

Montreal entered play 1-3-1 over its last five following a five-game winning streak that coincided with PriceB次元官网网址檚 return from a lower-body injury.

B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 the ideal way to win,B次元官网网址� said Petry. B次元官网网址漌hat I liked is when they capitalized and scored it seemed like we pushed back quickly.B次元官网网址�

Thomas Vanek scored three times and added an assist for Vancouver (15-16-4), while Daniel Sedin and Brock Boeser each had a goal and an assist. Anders Nilsson stopped 25 shots for the Canucks, who also got two assists from Henrik Sedin.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 nothing sweet about it,B次元官网网址� Vanek said of his 10th career hat trick. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e really struggling right now.B次元官网网址�

Despite having now dropped six of their last seven in regulation by a combined 36-14 score, the Canucks insisted that Tuesday was an improvement over SundayB次元官网网址檚 6-1 home loss to the Calgary Flames.

B次元官网网址淭onight was a lot better,B次元官网网址� said Vanek. B次元官网网址滻t was a step in the right direction.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver head coach Travis Green was asked if he agreed with that assessment.

B次元官网网址淚t was a step in the right direction,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址�(We) had almost 40 shots, scored five goals on a pretty good goalie, played a lot more aggressive, our compete level was a lot higher.

B次元官网网址淚 thought it was a step in the right direction.B次元官网网址�

Tied 3-3 in a wild middle period, Petry gave Montreal the lead for good with 46.1 seconds left when his shot from the point on the power play beat Nilsson through a screen.

The defencemanB次元官网网址檚 fourth goal of the season came three seconds after VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Alex Biega was whistled for cross-checking B次元官网网址� a call that left Green fuming.

Byron then made it 5-3 at 1:37 of the third after getting a second bite at the apple on a nifty behind-the-back feed from Pacioretty for his 10th following a sequence where the CanucksB次元官网网址� defensive zone coverage left a lot to be desired.

Boeser, who left the CanucksB次元官网网址� loss to Calgary after taking a shot off his left ankle, hit VancouverB次元官网网址檚 second post of the night behind Price in the second period, but made no mistake with 6:31 to play by ripping his 18th to make it 5-4.

The Canadiens again went up by two with 2:33 left when Galchenyuk scored his eighth before Vanek buried his third of the night and 10th overall off a scramble with 61 seconds still on the clock.

But Danault finally put the game to bed in the dying moments with Nilsson on the bench for an extra attacker.

After Vanek and Carr traded power-play goals in the first, Montreal grabbed the lead at 7:18 when Petry glided over blue line and found Froese, who in turn fed Deslauriers for his second of the year.

Vanek responded by finishing off a nice passing play at the side of the net with six minutes left in the period to make it 2-2.

Deslauriers then put Montreal back ahead at 17:05 on a 2-on-1 break with his second of the game on a shot from just inside the blue line Nilsson will want to have back.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e not going hear our goalies sit there and say theyB次元官网网址檙e playing their best hockey of the year,B次元官网网址� said Green. B次元官网网址滲ut if youB次元官网网址檙e trying to get me to throw blame on our goalies, IB次元官网网址檓 not going to do that.B次元官网网址�

The seesaw battle continued 34 seconds later when Daniel Sedin tapped home a loose puck into an open net to make it 3-3 off a Vanek shot that hit MontrealB次元官网网址檚 Thomas Plekanec, who in turn wiped out Price, before Petry put Montreal ahead for good late in the period.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 games thatB次元官网网址檚 going to be 2-1, thereB次元官网网址檚 games that are going to be like that,B次元官网网址� said Deslauriers. B次元官网网址淵ou want to keep the scoring tight, but we responded well after every goal.B次元官网网址�

Notes: The Canadiens were without Shea Weber because of a foot injury that is being re-evaluated. The Canadiens were 4-2-1 over a seven-game stretch last month while their star defenceman was dealing with the same issue. B次元官网网址� Vancouver visits San Jose on Thursday, while Montreal is at Calgary on Friday.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

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