Team finally had a night when everything clicked

It was one of those nights when everything went right for the Canadiens and the result was a resounding 10-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

It was a night when five players achieved career highs, beginning with Paul Byron, who collected his first NHL hat-trick.

Jacob De La Rose scored his first goal since April 11, 2015, and set a career high with three points.

Nicolas Deslauriers, who had gone 60 games without a goal, scored a goal and added two assists for his first three-point night.

Daniel Carr had his first threepoint night with a goal and two assists.

Alex Galchenuyuk’s four assists were a career high.

Brendan Gallagher had one point, but his team-leading 13th goal was the 100th of his career.

Fourteen players earned at least one point and the fourth line — Carr, Deslauriers and Byron Froese — broke out with a hand in four of the 10 goals.

“We’re a fast team and I think we’re starting to establish an identity,” said coach Claude Julien, who was so pleased with the Canadiens’ fifth consecutive win he cancelled a practice scheduled for Sunday.

Byron was asked if there was less drag after he shaved off his beard recently.

“Maybe, but I’ve never had too much of a problem with speed,” said Byron, who used his speed to score his first two goals on breakaways. “I thought I was a little cursed when I shaved and missed the open net against Ottawa, but I guess not.”

Byron said the past week was crucial as the Canadiens climbed into a playoff position, however tenuous.

“We could have pitied ourselves and give up or we could come together as a group and take it one game at a time,” Byron said. “It seems cliché, but in an 82-game season, anything can happen. Teams get hot, teams get cold, but I think we all knew we were much better than the record said we were.”

De La Rose, who was filling in for Jonathan Drouin on the top line with Galchenyuk and Byron, said it was a relief to end his 49-game goal drought.

“I was trying not to think too much about that but, obviously, it’s a relief,” De La Rose said.

Gallagher, awarded the Molson Cup for November prior to the game, shrugged off his milestone.

“I just heard the other day that I was close and it’s pretty cool,” Gallagher said. “But I’ve been fortunate to play with some pretty good

We could have pitied ourselves and give up or we could come together as a group and take it one game at a time.

players and they’re a big reason for my success.”

Gallagher said he didn’t attach too much importance to the onesided result.

“You look at what happened last year when we lost one of these in Columbus and won one against Colorado. It’s important not to get too high, just like we didn’t get too down on ourselves earlier this year.”

David Schlemko didn’t get a point, but he and teenager Victor Mete were each plus-5. Shea Weber returned to action after missing six games and played a relatively relaxing 22:24.

And Carey Price won his fifth consecutive game to boost his season record to 8-7-1.