Patrik Laine's power-play goal lifts Canadiens past Red Wings 4-3

Montreal Canadiens right wing Patrik Laine (92) trips Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in Detroit. (Carlos Osorio)/AP Photo)

DETROIT -

Patrik Laine scored a power-play goal with 7:58 remaining to lead the Montreal Canadiens past the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Friday night.

Laine's shot from the left side broke defenseman Moritz Seider's stick and got past goaltender Cam Talbot's glove.

Jake Evans scored a short-handed goal and added an assist in his 300th career game. Emil Heineman also had a goal and an assist, while Arber Xhekaj scored his first goal of the season. Sam Montembeault made 25 saves.

Patrick Kane, Joe Veleno and Tyler Motte scored for Detroit, and Michael Rasmussen had two assists. Talbot stopped 29 shots.

The teams will match up again, this time in Montreal, on Saturday.

Takeaways

Canadiens: Laine scored three power-play goals against Buffalo on Tuesday. He converted again on Montreal's second power play of the game. All seven of his goals this season have come on power plays.

Red Wings: Kane, an eight-time All Star, is starting to heat up. He ended a 10-game goal drought against Philadelphia on Wednesday and now has five goals in 27 games this season.

Key moment

Moments before Evans' short-handed goal in the first period, Montembeault made an unusual stop. Detroit's Lucas Raymond chopped at the puck from behind the Canadiens' goal. It rolled up the net and landed on the back of Montembeault's neck. Defenseman Kaiden Guhle covered the puck with his glove as the play was whistled dead.

Key stat

Veleno has scored in two consecutive games after getting held to one goal in his first 26 games. Veleno, who signed a two-year contract extension in July, scored 12 goals last season.

Up next

The Canadiens and Red Wings complete the home-and-home set in Montreal on Saturday.