Canadiens 5, Canucks 2: Max Pacioretty recorded his third career hat trick despite failing to convert a pair of penalty-shot opportunities in the second period as host Montreal handed reeling Vancouver its sixth consecutive setback.

Tomas Plekanec also tallied and Ryan White scored for the first time in over a year as the Canadiens finished their four-game homestand with a 2-1-1 mark. Former Canuck Dale Weise notched an assist and Carey Price turned aside 42 shots in the victory.

Chris Higgins and defenseman Alex Edler each scored a power-play goal and Montreal native Roberto Luongo finished with 24 saves for the Canucks, who are mired in their longest losing streak since dropping eight straight from Jan. 9-31, 2009.

Defenseman Jason Garrison's shot caromed off Higgins' left shin pad and into the net during a power play at 2:31 of the second period to trim Montreal's advantage to 2-1. Pacioretty failed to extend the lead as he misfired on a pair of penalty-shot attempts later in the session, but he buried a loose puck at 4:45 of the third before scoring his team-leading 26th goal into an empty net.

With his team on the power play, Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban corralled his own rebound and wired a shot that Pacioretty deflected past Luongo 14:59 into the first period to open the scoring. White doubled the advantage 63 seconds later, settling a loose puck following Weise's shot and backhanding it under the crossbar for his first goal since Jan. 27, 2013.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Pacioretty notched his first career hat trick on Feb. 9, 2012, before registering a natural one during a 6-2 win over Minnesota on Nov. 19. ... Vancouver captain Henrik Sedin will not participate for Sweden in the Sochi Olympics. "I'm disappointed not to be physically able to represent my country at the Winter Olympic Games," Sedin said in a statement. "This is a difficult decision, but ultimately the best decision for me personally, Team Sweden and the Vancouver Canucks." ... Vancouver D Raphael Diaz, who was acquired in the deal for Weise on Monday, logged 21:49 of ice time. ... The Canucks went 2-for-5 on the power play after converting only one of their previous 27 opportunities. Montreal entered the game having successfully killed off its previous 27 short-handed situations.