Joel Armia had two goals and an assist, Carey Price made 26 saves, and the host Montreal Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 on Sunday to take a 3-0 lead in their second-round playoff series.
Corey Perry, Artturi Lehkonen and Nick Suzuki also scored for the Canadiens.
Adam Lowry replied for the Jets, who got 28 stops from Connor Hellebuyck.
After storming back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the heavily favoured Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round, Montreal can wrap up this best-of-seven North Division matchup Monday night back at the Bell Centre.
Having swept Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers in the first round, the Jets will simply be looking to force a Game 5 on Wednesday in Winnipeg.
The Canadiens, who haven’t trailed on the scoreboard since losing Game 4 against Toronto and won their sixth straight post-season contest, lead a series 3-0 for the first time since 2015.
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Montreal welcomed another 2,500 towel-waving fans on a steaming spring evening after hosting the first NHL crowd in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic for Game 6 against Toronto.
With No. 1 centre Mark Scheifele serving a four-game suspension for charging on Jake Evans in the opener, the Jets got Paul Stastny back after he missed the first two contests in Winnipeg with an undisclosed injury.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
