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MONTREAL -- There was so much more to the Canadiens 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night than Patrick Roys return to Montreal. A game that had the 21,273 in the Bell Centre seats rocking even before the puck was dropped saw NHL trade deadline addition Thomas Vanek score his first three goals as a Canadien. It saw plugger Travis Moen score a spin-around goal worthy of a first-line star. And it had a spectacular performance from Colorado rookie Nathan MacKinnon, who dazzled the crowd and the Canadiens defence for an entire shift before scoring his 23rd goal of the season in the first period. On the downside, Colorado defenceman John Mitchell was taken to hospital for tests after crashing back-first into the end boards at 8:02 of the second period. Roy had no update on his condition after the game other than that it was back injury. The game started with the spotlight on Roy, but players from both teams made sure it was game to remember as well. "I thought both teams played really well and tonight the puck bounced their way," said Roy, the former Canadiens goaltending great who was on his first trip to Montreal as an NHL coach. There was no pre-game ceremony for the player once known as Saint Patrick, but he didnt need one. The fans gave him a long, rousing ovation when he was shown on the scoreboard during the national anthems. Some wondered how the Bell Centre crowd would react to Roy, who won Stanley Cups for the Canadiens in 1986 and 1993 but later demanded a trade and was on the outs with the organization until 2008 when they retired his No. 33 jersey. "I thought they showed lot of class," said Roy. "It was nice. They didnt make a big thing and thats the way I wanted it." Brandon Prust, who left the game late in the first period with an apparent shoulder injury, returned to score a goal and set up Moens tally for Montreal (38-25-7), which won its third game in a row. Trailing by two goals, Roy pulled goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere with 2:20 left to play, but Dale Weise scored into the empty net. Max Talbot and Jamie McGinn also had goals for the Avalanche (44-20-5), which lost for only the third time in 10 games. The Avs end a three-game road trip Wednesday night in Winnipeg. Vanek had a ton of chances since he was acquired from the New York Islanders, who had got him early in the season from the Buffalo Sabres. He finally broke through against Colorado. "It was frustrating," he said. "I think Im pretty emotional out there and sometimes I show my frustration too much. "But its been a tough year moving around, trying to get your first goal with Buffalo and then a new team and then here. But I thought we were generating chances and it just didnt go in. Getting that first goal was nice. I was really pressing the last few games." The Avalanche players clearly wanted to win for Roy, who has taken them from last to fourth in the Western Conference in one season and who is likely to be named the NHLs coach of the year. Roys team responded with a strong opening period. No. 1 overall draft pick MacKinnon put on a show as he ragged the puck in the Montreal zone for most of an entire shift. Then he got the puck alone in front of the net off a strange deflection and deked Carey Price at 18:03. He got 20:55 of ice time and, other than Vanek, was perhaps the best player in the game. Even Montreal coach Michel Therrien was impressed. "For an 18-year-old kid... I had the luxury of coaching great ones at 18 and 19 years old (Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin) and hes right there," said Therrien. "Hes a special player." Roy knew his players wanted to get him the victory, even though he told them to concentrate on getting the two points. "(Ryan) OReilly was hurt and I knew he wanted to play," said Roy. "(Paul) Stastny came back (from a back injury) tonight. "I knew what they were doing. I have a lot of respect for my players and I appreciate it, but I didnt want them to feel the pressure of winning a game for their coach. I wanted them to win for the team. I dont want to put myself ahead of the team. I didnt need a special night." The Canadiens bounced back in the second, as Vanek tapped one into an open goal after Desharnais lured Giguere out of his net on a rush at 7:44. Talbot was parked at the doorstep to knock in a Matt Duchene feed at 9:33, but Moen tied the score at 10:21 with his second of the year and his first since Nov. 22. Prust dove to chip the puck into the middle, where Moen caught it, then did a spin-around move to beat Giguere with a backhand. Giguere took a holding the stick penalty and Vanek made him pay as he converted a Max Pacioretty feed on a power play for the game-winner at 14:45. Montreal was on the power play again when Vanek reached behind his back to deflect an Alexei Emelin shot in at 17:40 for the hat-trick. Only two hats were thrown on the ice. Montreal fans have never been big on the hat-throwing thing. Weise added an empty-netter at 19:00, giving each member of the checking line a goal. "We were energized tonight," said Prust. "We knew it was going to be a big game. We knew they would come hard to get Patty the win, so were glad we spoiled it." Notes: It was Roys first game against Montreal since he was a player on Nov. 6, 2001. Roy opted to put Montreal native Giguere as No. 1 Semyon Varlamov sat out. Roy said Reto Berra will start in goal in Winnipeg. . . Stastny returned from after missing four games with a back injury. . . The Avs went into the game with the NHLs fourth best power play and Montreal with the fourth best penalty kill. Brandon Graham Jersey . Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds made his longshot request of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit upheld Bonds conviction in September. Tim Jernigan Jersey . Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Fiorentina levelled on aggregate in the 14th minute when Joaquin Sanchez Rodriguez headed back a long ball from David Pizarro and Pasqual smashed home an angled volley. http://www.cheapeaglesjerseysauthentic.c...n-miller-jersey. HEROES P.K. Subban – Scored the overtime winner and assisted on Montreal’s earlier goal, both on the power play, in a 2-1 win over Nashville. Nelson Agholor Jersey . Boston is making its first appearance in the ALCS since 2008. For Detroit, its a third straight trip to the ALCS and its fourth in eight years. Wilbert Montgomery Jersey . Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres came to an agreement on a big trade that may only offer incremental improvement to the Blues in their quest for a Stanley Cup.AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Down by 25 in the second quarter, the Indiana Pacers still had plenty of time. "We needed a little reminder of what we are playing for here," coach Frank Vogel said. The Pacers responded with one of the most impressive comebacks of the NBA season, catching the Detroit Pistons in the fourth quarter and eventually pulling away in overtime for a 112-104 victory Saturday night. Indiana leads Miami by 3 1/2 games in the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Paul George had 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Pacers. "We knew this was going to be a long game," George said. "We knew we had a chance to come back and we just had to take small steps. We had to chip away and get this win." Josh Smith scored 23 points for the Pistons, who lost star centre Andre Drummond in the first quarter to a neck injury. Drummond was able to walk off with some assistance and was a bit sore after the game. "Just a little bit of a scare," Drummond said. "Its hard for me to make moves left and right sometimes, but it shouldnt be anything that should stop me from the next few days." Evan Turner added 20 points for the Pacers, and David West scored six of his 15 points in overtime. Detroit led 56-31 in the second quarter but couldnt hold on. The Pistons trail Atlanta by five games for the final playoff spot in the East. It was the second-biggest comeback victory in the NBA this season, according to STATS. Golden State rallied from 27 down against Toronto on Dec. 3. "Really proud of our guys," Vogel said. "I did not like the deficit we built especially in that first half, but we stayed with the game and came back with better energy." Drummond, Detroits promising second-year centre, left with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter. He appeared to be hit in the head inadvertently by the Pacers Roy Hibbert during a scramblle near the basket.dddddddddddd. "I got my hand on the ball and the ball rolled between my legs," Drummond said. "I reached down and came up and I ended up, my head hit Roy Hibbert in his thigh and sent a shock throughout my whole body." Drummond stayed down through an entire timeout. A stretcher was eventually brought onto the court, but he was able to get up and walk off toward the tunnel. Even without him, Detroit dominated the first half. A putback dunk by Jonas Jerebko pushed the lead to 25, and it was 60-41 at halftime. The Pacers started the second half with eight straight points, and George scored 14 points in the third quarter. Detroit led 79-73 after three. It was tied at 83 when Smith put Detroit back ahead with a layup. Then Detroits Greg Monroe and Indianas Luis Scola became e