The Montreal Canadiens gave their fans something to cheer about in their final game of the season destroying the Florida Panthers.
The visitors tried to set the tone early in the first period but two minutes into the game Jordan Harris scored his first NHL goal for Montreal with a blast from the point to give the Habs an early 1-0 lead. The Panthers went back on the attack but Carey Price who was making his 700th career start made some early key saves.
The Canadiens doubled their lead on the ensuing play as Mike Hoffman picked up a loose puck off a David Savard and put it into the back of the net which was his 15th of the season and right off the faceoff they made it 3-0 as Cole Caufield got in on the action sniping a shot top corner.
The Habs earned the first powerplay of the game as Brandon Montour was called for slashing and Brendan Gallagher made them pay getting a solid pass from Mathieu Perreault and beating Jonas Johansson who got the start in goal tonight for Florida.
Tyler Pitlick got called late in the first period for interference and the Panthers responded by getting on the board as ex Hab Ben Chiarot managed to beat Price to make it 4-1.
Caufield opened the second period scoring his second of the night beating Johansson with a great backhand between his legs to make it 5-1. The Habs made it six a couple of minutes later as Perreault with a wrist shot from the top of the circle went top shelf.
Jake Evans made it 7-1 two minutes later as he got a great feed in front of the net from Rem Pitlick and put it in the back of the net for his 13th goal of the season. Anthony Duclair took the first penalty of the period eight minutes in for roughing.
The Canadiens added number 8 to the scoreboard as Christian Dvorak got on the scoresheet tapping in a loose puck 14 minutes into the period. Montreal went into the locker room after 40 up by seven and 20 minutes left in their season.
Price was doing a good job at the beginning of the first period making some great jaw dropping saves to keep the Panthers at one goal on the scoresheet. Montreal made it 9-1 as Caufield scored his third of night to secure the hat trick less than 10 minutes into the final frame.
The Habs made it double digits two minutes later as Tyler Pitlick scored to make it 10-1 for his first of the season with a solid wrist shot from the circle that once again went top corner. The visitors scored their second of the night as Noel Acciari was able to squeeze one past Price.
The final siren went and the Canadiens had won their last game of the season yet finished for the first time in 32nd place and entered a off-season with a lot of question marks.
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