DETROIT -- The Montreal Canadiens started fast and finished strong to overcome a rough patch in between. Max Pacioretty broke a third-period tie, Tomas Plekanec scored twice and Montreal beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 Thursday night. The Canadiens jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and led 3-1 going into the third. But Detroits Tomas Tatar scored twice during a span of 3:06 early in the third period to tie it. Pacioretty restored the Canadiens lead 5:48 into the third and Thomas Vanek added a goal with 8:45 left. "The second and third periods werent good at all. We got lucky that we found a way to win," Plekanec said. Vanek added two assists and David Desharnais had a goal and an assist for Montreal. P.K. Subban had two assists and Carey Price made 26 saves. "It doesnt matter if you win 1-0 or 10-9 at this point. It all adds up the same," Price said. Canadiens coach Michel Therrien praised the line of Desharnais between Vanek and Pacioretty. "They were true leaders the way they played. They were playing all over the ice, they were hungry and did the right things." Tatars goals were his 17th and 18th. Riley Sheahan added a goal and an assist, and Johan Franzen also scored for Detroit. Jimmy Howard stopped 24 shots. "From the start. We werent very good in the first period, starting with myself. We were turning the pucks over all over the ice, we werent skating and we werent working," Red Wings defenceman Niklas Kronwall said. "But in saying that, we were still in the game somehow. Howie (Howard) kept us in there, gave us a chance. "We make it 3-3, then they go up 4-3, 5-3 and we score right away again and its still a game, but all in all we have to be better than this." Franzen brought the Red Wings to within one, 21 seconds after Vaneks goal. It was Franzens 16th goal and broke a nine-game goal-scoring drought. "I thought we played good and had lots of opportunity as far as offensively. We were just poor in our own zone on sort outs, on face-offs, which is just an easy thing to do. So for whatever reason we didnt get that done," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "But my big thing here today is just, as we said earlier, catch-up hockey is losing hockey. Youve got to get prepared, youve got to play right and you have to do it for 60 minutes and be patient. When you start chasing the game like we were tonight anything can happen. Its entertaining and all that for the fans but its not a recipe for success whatsoever." Sheahan put the Red Wings on the board and cut the Canadiens lead to 2-1 with his sixth goal 1:28 into the second period. Desharnais restored Montreals two-goal lead with 8:57 remaining in the middle period on his 14th goal. Plekanecs two goals gave Montreal a 2-0 lead in the first period. He opened the scoring 7:49 into the game, then got his 20th goal with 5:49 left in the opening period. NOTE: Detroit RW Tomas Jurco returned after missing seven games with a broken rib. ... Montreal LW Travis Moen missed his second game with a concussion. ... Red Wings C Pavel Datsyuk, who has missed 13 games with a sore knee, is skating but theres no timetable for his return. ... Detroit C Henrik Zetterberg, who had back surgery on Feb. 21, wont be cleared for contact until April 18-19. ... Pacioretty played college hockey at the University of Michigan. ... Montreal D Mike Weaver played college hockey at Michigan State. ... Canadiens RW Dale Weise missed his second game with an upper-body injury. Michael Cooper Jersey .com) - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right elbow last week, the teams official site reported Wednesday. JaVale McGee Jersey . And rest hardly led to rust for the two-time defending NBA champions. http://www.lakersteamofficial.com/Kentav...-Lakers-Jersey/. Fellow Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain also had a brace for Napoli. And Samuel Etoo scored for his fourth different team. On a night of standout individual performances Wednesday, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had a game hell want to forget. Robert Horry Jersey . - Jesse Shynkaruk scored a hat trick as the Moose Jaw Warriors snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders in Western Hockey League action on Saturday. Lance Stephenson Jersey . -- Justin Verlander took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and won his fourth straight decision, leading Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 9-4 Sunday and extending the Tigers winning streak to a season-high five games.No other team in the league has experienced more uncertainty at quarterback the past few years than the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Buck Pierces time was marred by several injuries while none from the cast of backups, from Alex Brink and Joey Elliott to Max Hall, Justin Goltz, and Jason Boltus, managed to distinguish themselves during their opportunities for the team. Even the Ottawa Redblacks, not yet having played a game, appear better set behind centre. Compared to some of Winnipegs rotation of quarterbacks the past couple seasons, the expansion team has an embarrassment of riches at the position with veterans Henry Burris and Kevin Glenn, and two-year pro Thomas DeMarco. With the trade and subsequent contract extension for former Saskatchewan Roughriders QB Drew Willy, Bombers GM Kyle Walters is hoping all his QB problems are in the past. After losing out to Zach Collaros and Hennry Burris just days before, Walters finally landed a QB to be penciled in atop his depth chart heading into the 2014 season; but will Willy stay there, and more importantly, will he find success where so many before him have faltered? The 27-year-old is light on experience, having started just two games in his career behind Darian Durant in Saskatchewan, but has shown potential in his limited action.dddddddddddd Willy threw just 52 passes last season, going for 473 yards and four touchdowns to just one interception. He saw a little more action last year, his first in the league, and for his career is 101-147 for 1,182 yards and nine touchdowns to five interceptions. His resume is light, but theres enough to get excited about with the Buffalo product. The Rouge asks: Is Drew Willy the answer at quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers? As always, its Your! Call. ' ' '