Canadiens on verge of making NHL history

VANCOUVER— The Vancouver Canucks are hoping a visit from the NHL’s top team will help shake them from their home-ice slumber.

The Montreal Canadiens enter Tuesday’s game at Rogers Arena as the first team in NHL history to open a season with nine straight regulation victories and are on the verge of joining elite company as one of only three franchises to start a year with 10 consecutive wins.

The Canucks, meanwhile, have blown third-period leads in three of their five home defeats.

“For us it’s a great measuring stick (against) probably the best team in the league right now,” Vancouver forward Alexandre Burrows said after Monday’s practice. “We’ll try to end that streak.” Montreal is led by reining Vezina and Hart Trophy winner Carey Price, who has seven of his team’s nine wins, including two shutouts, to go along with a1.29 goal-against average and a .961 save percentage. A victory on Tuesday would see the Canadiens join the 1993-94 Maple Leafs and the 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres as the only teams to start a season with 10 straight wins.

“We’re not really focused on going 10 for 10, we’re focused on the first shift of the game and executing the way we want to play,” said Montreal defenceman P.K. Subban.

The Canadiens are coming off a 5-3 homewin over the Leafs on Saturday that came on the heels of a 7-2 victory in Buffalo the night before. Tuesday marks the start of a three-game road trip through Western Canada that will also see Montreal visit the Oilers and Flames.

“The majority of the games that we’ve won, we’ve earned those victories by the way we’ve played and the way we’ve executed,” said Subban. “When we’re a rested group I don’t think there’s a team in the league that can keep up with us when we’re playing our style.”

Vancouver forward Brandon Prust, who was a member of the Canadiens for three seasons before a trade to the Canucks this summer, said he’s eager to face his old team.

“Playing a team that’s 9-0-0, we’ve got a lot to prove.”