Reimer blanks Canadiens; Panthers win fifth straight
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Goaltender James Reimer made 38 saves to lead the Florida Panthers to a 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
Connor Brickley and Vincent Trocheck scored for the Panthers (17-16-5). Mark Pysyk, Mike Matheson, MacKenzie Weegar and Brickley posted assists.
Montreal's Carey Price recorded 31 saves for Montreal (16-19-4).
Reimer notched his second shutout in his last three starts as Florida extended its season-high winning streak to five games. It also broke the club's four-game losing streak to the Canadiens, dating to a 4-3 victory Nov. 15 last year in Montreal.
Montreal's loss was its fourth straight. The club finished 2-5-0 on its road trip.
Late in the first period, Brickley -- a third-line left winger -- was moved up to the second line, switching with Evgenii Dadonov. The adjustment made an immediate impact.
Scoreless in the second period, Florida tallied when Brickley collected a rebound to Price's right and whipped his fourth goal past the netminder at 4:02 for a 1-0 lead. The goal was Brickley's second in the last four games.
Brickley led a breakout in the third period that led to a 2-on-1 rush with Weegar, Trocheck and Canadiens defenseman Jordie Benn.
Weegar slid a backhand pass by a sliding Benn to the right side to Trocheck, who tapped in his team-leading 15th goal past Price at 11:49 for a 2-0 lead.
NOTES: Montreal scratched D Brett Lernout and LWs Nicolas Deslauriers and Jacob de la Rose. ... Defensemen Shea Weber (foot) and David Schlemko (flu) did not make the three-game eastern U.S. part of the seven-game road trip. ... G Carey Price made his 15th start in the last 16 games. He matched a career best with his 12th straight start against Calgary on Dec. 22 but did not play the following night in Edmonton. ... Montreal is home against San Jose on Jan. 2. ... Florida scratched RW Radim Vrbata and D Ian McCoshen. ... Panthers D Keith Yandle played in his 671st straight game, leaving him nine behind Vancouver's Henrik Sedin for the NHL's seventh all-time longest streak. ... Panthers G James Reimer made his 11th consecutive start. ... Florida starts a four-game road trip in Minnesota on Tuesday.