Defenseman Jeff Petry posted a career-high four assists, and Carey Price stopped 29 shots to lead the host Montreal Canadiens to a 4-0 win over the red-hot Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon.

Petry has seven points (one goal, six assists) in two games against Florida this season. On Saturday, he logged helpers on goals by Nick Suzuki, Artturi Lehkonen, Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher.

Perhaps the worst news of the day for the Panthers came when captain Aleksander Barkov, an All-Star center last season, left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury and did not return. Coach Joel Quenneville said afterward the injury did not appear to be serious.

The Panthers also had their win streak snapped at six games, which had been the longest active run in the NHL. It was the third-longest win streak in the history of the Panthers, who hadn't lost since Jan. 7.

Florida, which entered the game as the highest-scoring team in the NHL (3.67 goals per game), couldn't get anything past Price, whose biggest test was a first-period breakaway by 2020 All-Star Jonathan Huberdeau.

Price avenged a 6-5 loss at Florida on Dec. 29, improving his career record against the Panthers to 13-7-3. It was the first time anyone had blanked the Panthers in nearly a full season since Feb. 12, 2019.

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves. He has allowed nine goals in splitting two games against Montreal this season.

Montreal, with a 16-8 shots-on-goal advantage, dominated the first period.

The Canadiens opened the scoring with 5:25 elapsed in the first as precise passing from Petry to Joel Armia and then to Suzuki set up the latter's breakaway goal.

Montreal nearly scored again, as Tatar had an open net but saw the puck roll off his stick.

The Canadiens extended their lead to 2-0 with 6:01 gone in the second. Lehkonen deflected a Petry shot, beating Bobrovsky through the five-hole.

Tatar made up for his earlier miss by scoring from the doorstep, taking a centering pass from Phillip Danault and flipping the puck over Bobrovsky's stick for a 3-0 lead with 13:35 expired in the second.

Montreal's power play came through with 10:46 left in the third as Gallagher scored on a deflection of a shot by -- who else? -- Petry.

--Field Level Media