Former Cat keeper Antti Niemi stopped 52 shots as the Montreal Canadiens rolled to a 5-1 win over the punchless Florida Panthers.
Niemi’s 52 saves were one shy of the single-game record by a Montreal goaltender shared by Wayne Thomas, his former position coach in San Jose, and battery-mate Carey Price.
The Panthers dominated the first period, out-shooting the Canadiens 16-7 and scoring the frame’s only goal when Mike Hoffman scored on a beautiful one-handed, backhanded finish at 14:11 after Denis Malgin forced a turnover.