MONTREAL — On Saturday, Patrik Laine excelled on the power play once again, leading the Montreal Canadiens to a decisive 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, marking another win against the same team for the second consecutive night.

The goal-scoring list for the Canadiens included contributions from Juraj Slafkovsky, Jake Evans, Emil Heineman, and Brendan Gallagher. Additionally, Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson each provided two assists in the match.

In net, Sam Montembeault was solid, stopping 20 shots while making his ninth straight start, which came back-to-back against the Red Wings; Montreal had previously defeated Detroit 4-2 the night before.

The game began with Joe Veleno putting the Red Wings on the board early in the first period. Alex Lyon, who faced relentless shots, managed to save 19 attempts at goal.

Laine showcased his prowess by scoring his eighth goal during power plays, a feat he accomplished across nine games since his return from a knee injury sustained during the preseason. He capitalized on an opportunity by redirecting a pass from the left circle past Lyon with just 39 seconds remaining in the first period.

In terms of team standings, the Red Wings fell to seventh place in the Atlantic Division, behind the Canadiens. Veleno, hailing from Montreal, has shown improvement by netting goals in three consecutive games, a stark contrast to the single goal he had managed in the first 26 games of the season.

For the Canadiens, Laine’s addition clearly transformed the team’s dynamic, leading to a record of 6-3-0 since his debut on December 3.

A memorable sequence from the game occurred when Laine broke Moritz Seider’s stick once again with a shot, a repeat of the previous night’s outcome. The puck ended up deflecting into the netting midway through the first period, and on the prior night, Laine had scored the decisive goal with a blistering one-timer that had similarly snapped Seider’s stick.

Laine achieved a remarkable milestone as he became the first player on record since the 1933-34 season to score eight consecutive power-play goals for a team. He also joined the ranks of Yvan Cournoyer (1966-67, 1965-66) and Owen Nolan (1995-96) as only the third forward to net his first eight goals of a season during power plays.

Looking ahead, the Red Wings will host the St. Louis Blues on Monday, while the Canadiens are set to visit the Columbus Blue Jackets.