Petry Goal Lifts Perfect Habs Over Red Wings, 4-1

MONTREAL (AP) — Jeff Petry scored the go-ahead goal 6:32 into the third period and the Montreal Canadiens moved to 6-0-0 for the first time in franchise history with a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

Brendan Gallagher scored in the second, Tomas Plekanec made it 3-1 and then Brian Flynn scored an empty-netter for Montreal, which last went unbeaten in its first six games in 1977-78 (5-0-1).

Rookie Dylan Larkin scored for Detroit (3-2-0), which lost its second game in a row.

The Canadiens entered the game only 2 for 21 on the power play but scored twice with the man advantage. They had a 41-22 edge in shots on Detroit, but Petr Mrazek was sharp in goal.

Larkin, who extended his career-opening points streak to five games, opened the scoring 4:47 into the second frame when he flipped a backhander toward the net and saw it sneak past Carey Price's pad on the near side.

Price stopped 21 shots for Montreal.

It was the first time this season Montreal trailed in a game, but that didn't last long.

Gallagher's tying goal on a power play at 7:44 needed video review. A cross-ice pass from Plekanec was cleared by Kyle Quincey into the onrushing Gallagher's skates and went in just as the Canadiens winger slid into Mrazek and the net. The NHL situation room ruled it counted because he didn't direct the puck in with a skate.

A Jonathan Ericsson tripping call on David Desharnais put Montreal on a power play, and Petry got his first of the season 6:32 into the third on a blast from the point with Desharnais parked in front of Mrazek.

Plekanec, who signed a two-year, $12 million contract extension on Friday, scored his fifth of the season with 2:04 left by tipping in a pass from Gallagher, who stripped the puck from Mike Green in the Detroit zone.

NOTES: The Red Wings had center Darren Helm (concussion) and defenseman Danny Dekeyser (foot) back from injuries to make their season debuts. ... Before the game, referee Marc Joanette was honored in an on-ice ceremony for officiating his 1,000th NHL game.

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