The Canadiens suffered their worst loss in 24 years Friday night in an absolute blowout.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got on the scoreboard early with a pair of goals 58 seconds apart, by Cam Atkinson and Seth Jones midway throught the first period.

David Savard scored minutes later and the first period ended with a respectable but not insurmountable 3-0 lead for the Blue Jackets.

The wheels came off the bus in the second period as the Blue Jackets continued to score.

Atkinson again. Nick Foligno. Scott Harnell. Foligno again. Josh Anderson.

The Blue Jackets' cannon was running out of gunpowder as the score hit 8-0 after the second period, and even though Carey Price was dressed, Coach Michel Therrien left Al Montoya between the pipes.

The scoring eased up slightly in the third period, but Hartnell tipped in a shot by Jones, and Montoya had no chance at all.

Deciding he liked round numbers, Anderson scored his second of the game to make it an even 10-nothing to finish the game.

In all this craziness the score could have been higher. One goal was disallowed in the second period because officials ruled it had been kicked into the net.

The last time a Canadiens goalie allowed ten goals in one game was on Dec. 13, 1992.

The last time any NHL team scored 10 goals and had a shutout was on Jan. 2, 1996, when the Calgary Flames defeated Tampa Bay.

The Canadiens' next game is Saturday in Montreal against the Philadelphia Flyers.