Price picks up 4th shutout, Canadiens beat Islanders 4-0

MONTREAL (AP) — Carey Price stopped 27 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Islanders 4-0 Thursday night to remain in the hunt for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Joel Armia, Shea Weber, Jonathan Drouin and Jordan Weal also scored for the Canadiens (39-28-7), who won their second straight after dropping two in a row.

Thomas Greiss gave up four goals on 22 shots for the Islanders (42-25-7) before being pulled in the second period. Robin Lehner made 12 saves in relief.

Montreal entered the game a point behind Columbus in the conference standings. The Blue Jackets faced the Edmonton Oilers later Thursday.

The Islanders have the league’s best defense, but they’ve given up nine goals in their last two games after dropping a 5-0 decision to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

After a back-and-forth first period, Armia gave Montreal the lead with seven seconds left in the frame. With the Canadiens on the power play, Armia beat Greiss between the pads from the slot after Weber stopped Cal Clutterbuck from clearing the puck.

The Canadiens added to their lead early in the second period.

Weber scored his 13th goal of the season with a blistering slap shot to make it 2-0, seconds after Artturi Lehkonen hit the post on a wraparound.

Jordan Eberle, who played despite dealing with an upper-body injury this week, had a chance to get the Islanders back in the game. But Price stuck out his pad and made a nice toe save to keep New York off the board.

Montreal capitalized on the next shift, when Drouin completed a tic-tac-toe pass play from Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi at the six-minute mark, snapping his 17-game streak without a goal. Drouin had not scored since Feb. 7, against Winnipeg.

Weal added a fourth for Montreal at 8:19, tipping a shot by Jordie Benn past Greiss, who was then replaced by Lehner.

NOTES: Armia’s power-play goal was the first of his career. … The Islanders managed seven shots in the third period.

UP NEXT

Islanders: At Philadelphia on Saturday.

Canadiens: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.