Laine scores again as Canadiens beat Red Wings 5-1 to take two-game series on consecutive nights

MONTREAL (AP) — Patrik Laine scored on the power play again, and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Detroit Red Wings for the second straight night, winning 5-1 on Saturday.

Juraj Slafkovsky, Jake Evans, Emil Heineman and Brendan Gallagher also scored in Montreal's season-high third straight win. Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson each had two assists.

Sam Montembeault stopped 20 shots in his ninth consecutive start — and second in two nights against Detroit. The Canadiens beat the Red Wings 4-2 in Detroit on Friday.

Joe Veleno opened the scoring early in the first for Detroit, and Alex Lyon made 19 saves.

Laine scored for the eighth time — all with the man-advantage — in nine games since returning from a pre-season knee injury. He beat Lyon with an attempted pass from the left circle with 39 seconds left in the first period.

Red Wings: Detroit dropped to seventh in the Atlantic Division behind Montreal. Veleno, a 24-year-old from Montreal, scored in his third straight game after scoring once in his first 26 to start the season.

Canadiens: Montreal looks like a different team with Laine in the lineup, improving to 6-3-0 since his debut on Dec. 3.

Laine broke Moritz Seider's stick with a shot for the second straight night, midway through the first period with the puck deflecting into the netting. On Friday night, Laine scored the game-winner with a one-timer that broke Seider's stick en route to going in.

Laine became the first player on record (since 1933-34) to score eight straight power-play goals for a team. He also became the third forward to score his first eight goals of a season with the man-advantage, joining Yvan Cournoyer (1966-67, 1965-66) and Owen Nolan (1995-96).

Red Wings host St. Louis on Monday, and Canadiens visit Columbus.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Montreal Canadiens' Jake Evans (71) clips Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon (34) after being hooked by Red Wings' William Lagesson (84) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier (45) is upended by Detroit Red Wings' Vladimir Tarasenko (11) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon is scored on by Montreal Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher, not shown, as Red Wings' Justin Holl looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky (20) looks on as the puck gets past Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon for a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Jake Evans reacts after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault, top, makes a glove-save against Detroit Red Wings' Alex DeBrincat (33) during second-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Detroit Red Wings' Justin Holl (3) defends against Montreal Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky (20) as he moves in on Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Cole Caufield (13) reacts to a goal by teammate Patrik Laine, not shown, against Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon (34) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the U.S military said.

Both pilots were recovered alive, with one suffering minor injuries, but the incident underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become after a year of ongoing attacks on shipping by Yemen's Houthi rebels despite U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area.

The U.S. military had conducted airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the time, though the U.S. military’s Central Command did not elaborate on what their mission was.

“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18, which was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman,” Central Command said in a statement.

The Houthis have targeted about 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023 after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage.

Israel’s grinding offensive in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, local health officials say. The tally doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.

The Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two in a campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have also included Western military vessels.

The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the United Kingdom to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

FILE - A fighter jet maneuvers on the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea, June 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)