Canadiens 6, Wild 2
Max Pacioretty recorded a natural hat trick as Montreal routed visiting Minnesota.
Pacioretty's second career three-goal game paced Montreal's highest scoring output of the season. Michael Bournival, Danny Briere and Alex Galchenyuk added goals while Carey Price turned aside 25 shots.
Nino Niederreiter and Dany Heatley replied for the Wild, who saw their four-game winning streak come to an abrupt halt. Netminder Josh Harding (16 saves) was pulled in favor of Darcy Kuemper (six saves) after surrendering Pacioretty's third goal of the night.
After the teams played a scoreless first period, the Canadiens erupted in the second. Pacioretty snapped a 10-game goalless drought at 2:57 of the session when David Desharnais' centering attempt caromed off his skate and past Harding - a goal that was held up following a video review. He extended the lead near the midway point of the period by converting a nifty no-look pass from Desharnais.
Pacioretty completed the natural hat trick on a Montreal power play 3 1/2 minutes later, redirecting defenseman P.K. Subban point shot past Harding. Bournival capped the onslaught with his sixth of the season at 16:16, and Briere and Niederreiter traded goals early in the third period before Galchenyuk punctuated the drubbing with a quick wrist shot that beat Kuemper up high with 12:01 remaining.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Pacioretty found himself in a scary situation but avoided serious injury eight minutes into the game after he was run into the curved glass stanchion near the Minnesota bench by Niederreiter. Pacioretty suffered a fractured vertebra and a concussion 2 1/2 years ago after he was hit in a similar fashion by Boston captain Zdeno Chara. ... Montreal is the only team to have scored more than two goals on Harding in a game this season - and has done it twice. ... Price shattered his stick over the post after Heatley scored on a power play with 1.3 seconds remaining.