Canadiens fire coach, hire Julien
Therrien ousted while in 1st place
Amid losing their strong grip on first place, the Montreal Canadiens fired coach Michel Therrien on Tuesday and hired Claude Julien in hopes of getting their season back on track.
Montreal GM Marc Bergevin made the announcement two days into his team’s bye week. Julien was fired as coach of the Boston Bruins last week and predictions that the veteran wouldn’t be out of work for long proved true.
At 1-5-1, Montreal has the NHL’s worst record since the start of February.
Therrien, 53, was in his fifth season of his second tour of duty as Canadiens coach and had three playoff appearances with a trip to the 2014 Eastern Conference final. They missed the playoffs last season after goaltender Carey Price injured his knee in November. Therrien went 194-121-37 as coach of the Canadiens this time.
He was also fired and replaced by Julien 46 during the 2002-03 season. .
“The decision to remove Michel from his coaching duties was a difficult one because I have lots of respect for him,” Bergevin said in a statement. “I came to the conclusion that our team needed a new energy, a new voice, a new direction.”
That will come from Julien, who returns to Montreal, where he coached from 2003-2006.
Tuesday games
PENGUINS 4, CANUCKS 0: In Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin scored and picked up an assist in his return from a lower-body injury, and Sidney Crosby got his 999th career point with an assist as Pittsburgh rolled by Vancouver.
Matt Murray stopped 29 shots for his third shutout of the season.
MAPLE LEAFS 7,
ISLANDERS 1: In Toronto, Auston Matthews scored twice and Frederik Andersen earned his 100th NHL win as Toronto routed New York in a game with playoff implications.
The Maple Leafs set a season high for goals and won for the third time in nine games. They moved three points ahead of the Islanders for the second wild card in the East.
JETS 5, STARS 2: In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Patrik Laine got his third hat trick of the season, including the go-ahead goal late in the third period, to lift Winnipeg over Dallas.
OILERS 5, COYOTES 2: In Edmonton, Alberta, the host Oilers outshot Arizona 15-4 in a three-goal second period en route to routing the Coyotes.
DEVILS 3, AVALANCHE 2: In Newark, N.J., Devils defenseman Andy Greene scored the go-ahead goal on a power play and Kyle Palmieri converted on an odd-man rush to lead New Jersey over Colorado.
DUCKS 1, WILD 0: In St. Paul, Minn., John Gibson made 37 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and rookie Joseph Cramarossa scored his fourth goal as Anaheim beat Minnesota.
SABRES 3, SENATORS 2: In Ottawa, Robin Lehner made 39 saves and Matt Moulson and Justin Bailey scored in the third period to rally Buffalo past Ottawa.