MONTREAL – David Desharnais had two goals and an assist, and the Montreal Canadiens ended Detroit's seven-game winning streak with a 7-2 victory over the Red Wings on Wednesday night in the NHL's final game before the league's All-Star break.
Alexei Emelin scored his first NHL goal, and Montreal scored four times in the opening period against Jimmy Howard, who will make his first All-Star game appearance on Sunday in Ottawa.
The Canadiens put their first two shots of the second period past backup goalie Ty Conklin, who took over for Howard to begin the middle period.
Rene Bourque, Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole each had a goal and an assist, and Tomas Plekanec also scored. Tomas Kaberle had two assists. Carey Price stopped 25 shots for Montreal, which moved into 11th place in the Eastern Conference with 47 points, one ahead of Tampa Bay.
Jiri Hudler scored a pair of third-period goals for Detroit, which leads the NHL with 67 points despite falling to 13-14 on the road. The Red Wings, who have won 17 straight home games, hadn't lost anywhere since a 5-1 defeat at the New York Islanders on Jan. 10.
The Red Wings extended their team-record, home-winning streak, with a 3-1 victory over St. Louis on Monday. They are 20-2-1 at the Joe Louis Arena this season.
Howard, pulled for just the second time in 42 starts, made eight saves in his shortest outing of the season. Conklin stopped 10 shots in the second relief appearance by a Detroit goalie this season, and his first since taking over for Howard for the third period of a 5-2 loss at San Jose on Nov. 17.
Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom sat out because of the flu, ending the defenseman's consecutive-games played streak at 213.
Bourque opened the scoring with his 15th goal 5:08 in. Scott Gomez's centering pass went in off Bourque's leg as he drove the crease.
Emelin made it 2-0 with a drive past Howard at 10:56. Desharnais scored his first of the game at 17:58, and Plekanec netted his 10th goal at 19:33 to make it 4-0. Andreas Enqvist just missed adding a fifth Montreal goal moments later.
Conklin took over to start the second, and Pacioretty beat him on the first shot he faced 1:52 in for his 17th goal.
Desharnais got his second goal of the game — his ninth overall — on the Canadiens' next shot during a power play at 4:18.
Price, who will make his third All-Star appearance, made a nice pad save in a goal-mouth scramble late in a Red Wings' power play before the midway point of the second to protect the 6-0 lead.
Hudler spoiled Price's shutout bid 21 seconds into the third, and added his 14th of the season at 6:07. Cole scored his team-leading 19th goal with 1:23 remaining.
Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban was benched in the second period after taking an elbowing penalty late in the first.
NOTES: LW Justin Abdelkader has the Red Wings' longest current consecutive games streak at 124, one more than D Jonathan Ericsson. Hall of Famer Alex Delvecchio holds the team record of 548. ... Canadiens LW Travis Moen and C Petteri Nokelainen didn't play because of undisclosed upper body injuries.
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