Slumping Canadiens Do Some Housecleaning

Hoping it’s not too late to avoid missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season, the Montreal Canadiens opted for a fresh start Monday.

The team with the most championships in NHL history--and currently with the 30-team league’s worst record (5-13-2)--fired its coach, Alain Vigneault, and general manager, Rejean Houle.

Michel Therrien takes over on the bench, and Andre Savard is the new GM.

“The bottom line is this game is played with a lot of passion,” said Therrien, who was coaching Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Quebec Citadelles. “This is one thing that myself and Guy are going to try to bring to our players--our passion and emotion. We’re going to start with something, and this is what we’re going to start with.”

In other moves, former Canadiens’ captain Guy Carbonneau was appointed assistant coach, while scout Martin Madden was made the assistant GM.

Montreal takes a five-game losing streak into a game tonight against visiting Florida.

“As a result of our very poor results, we came to the conclusion that we needed to move quickly and somewhat radically with respect to our hockey administration,” Canadiens’ President Pierre Boivin told a news conference.

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Detroit 6, Nashville 3--Nicklas Lidstrom scored twice and Martin Lapointe netted his team-leading 11th goal to lead the Red Wings at Detroit.

Darren McCarty broke a 3-3 tie 32 seconds into the third period by taking the puck around the Predator net and banking it in off goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

Lapointe gave Detroit a 5-3 lead with 15 minutes to play when his shot from the left circle knuckled past Vokoun.

Lidstrom then found an open net on the power play with 7:54 to go to make it 6-3 Detroit. Vokoun had flopped onto his stomach to try to poke the puck away from Lapointe, but Lapointe passed to Lidstrom.

Dallas 6, Tampa Bay 2--Brad Lukowich and Roman Lyashenko scored their first goals of the season during a five-goal flurry in the second period at Dallas.

Mike Modano had a goal and two assists in the second period and Brett Hull added his 622nd career goal late in the period. Hull is eighth on the career goal-scoring list, five behind Steve Yzerman.

Rookie backup goaltender Marty Turco stopped 18 shots for the Stars as starter Ed Belfour got the night off.