Coyotes beat Canadiens 6-2 for first season sweep

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a goal and two assists, and the Arizona Coyotes rolled over Montreal 6-2 Monday night to complete a season sweep over the Canadiens for the first time in 36 seasons as a franchise.

Arizona broke out of a scoring slump with an onslaught of goals against Montreal goalie Mike Condon, matching the three previous games combined with a season high in goals.

The Coyotes had 13 different players notch a point and (six) different goal scorers.

Martin Hanzal scored his third goal in four games and Anthony Duclair had a goal in the first period. Brad Richardson, Kevin Connauton and Ekman-Larsson scored in the second, with Antoine Vermette capping the scoring burst with a goal in the third.

Louis Domingue stopped 17 shots with a former club player serving as his backup after a pregame injury to Anders Lindback.

Brendan Gallagher and Dale Weise scored for Montreal, which has lost 11 of 15.

The Canadiens have been trying to get consistent play at goalie and gain some footing in the Eastern Conference race since reigning league MVP Carey Price went down with a knee injury three months ago.

Ben Scrivens won three straight starts before being pulled after giving up three goals on eight shots in a loss to Buffalo on Friday.

Condon was back between the pipes against the Coyotes and gave up a goal in the opening 5 minutes, when Hanzal redirected a point shot by Michael Stone.

Duclair scored on a power play late in the first period, one-timing a pass from Hanzal after he punched a loose puck near the crease back to the right circle.

Richardson scored midway through the second period on a 4-on-4, cutting to the middle and wrapping a shot around Condon.

Ekman-Larsson, after two assists, gave the Coyotes a 4-2 lead by lifting a shot past Condon off the crossbar on a power play to match his career high with 44 points.

Connauton put Arizona up three goals late in the period, one-timing a cross-ice pass from Kyle Chipchura before falling to the ice.

Vermette kept the scoring going, backhanding a shot through Condon's pads to make it 6-2.

The Coyotes had their own goalie issues.

Prior to Monday night's game, Lindback suffered an undisclosed off-ice injury. With no time to call up anyone from the minors, Arizona had to turn to their designated emergency backup — a new NHL rule requires every time to have one — Nathan Schoenfeld.

The son of former Coyotes coach and current New York Rangers assistant GM Jim Schoenfeld, the 31-year-old played club hockey at Arizona State and signed an Amateur Tryout Agreement before the game.

Starter Mike Smith has started practicing since having surgery in December, but isn't ready for games yet, so the Coyotes were counting heavily on Domingue.

He's been inconsistent so far during his rookie season and gave up a goal midway through the first period, when Jacob De La Rose slipped a pass from behind the goal and Wiese one-timed it in.

Gallagher pulled the Canadiens within 3-2 after Richardson's goal in the second period, squeezing a shot through Domingue's pads on a 4-on-4.

Domingue was good after that and had plenty of cushion after the Coyotes kept pouring in goals.

Notes: Duclair has scored a point in all four of his games against Montreal (1-4-5). ... Montreal D Nathan Beaulieu returned after missing Friday's game with a lower-body injury. ... Canadiens D Greg Pateryn received five-minute major and game misconduct in the second period for crosschecking Max Domi in the face. Domi was hit four a four-minute roughing penalty in retaliation.