MONTREAL (Ticker) -- After a turbulent offseason, Jose Theodore is looking an awful lot like he did two years ago.
Theodore continued his strong start by making a season-high 34 saves to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders.
In the summer, Theodore's father and four half-brothers were arrested in connection with an alleged loan sharking ring, leaving fans to wonder if he would be distracted. But in the first three weeks of the new campaign, Theodore has resembled the goaltender that won the Hart and Vezina Trophies in 2001-02.
Since allowing five goals on opening night at Ottawa, Theodore has surrendered just three goals and Montreal has given up four. He has turned aside 117 of 120 shots in that span and has seemed to put any distractions behind him.
"Nothing can distract me," Theodore said. "My mind is focused on winning. I'm putting other things aside. I've answered all the questions, I'm going to about my family problems. I did that once and I won't again.
"I concentrated on training camp and the beginning of the season. I'm in the best shape now than I've ever been in my career. After the summer, I couldn't wait to get on the ice. I knew I felt bad because we didn't make the playoffs last season."
In this one, Theodore returned from his first night off and posted his second shutout of the season, which matches his total from his disappointing 2002-03 campaign. He made 17 saves through the first 40 minutes and matched that total in the final 20 minutes to preserve his 19th career blanking and fifth against the Islanders.
"Tonight I'm going to single out Jose Theodore," Montreal coach Claude Julien said. "There is no doubt that he has done everything he has to since the start of the season. He's making the big saves. This probably his biggest game so far this year."
"Jose kept us in the game tonight," Montreal defenseman Patrice Brisebois added. "Jose made the key saves. That's why we won this game tonight."
The Canadiens gave Theodore a 1-0 lead 5:25 into the contest as Yanic Perrault scored his fourth goal of the season. They doubled the lead late in the second when Marian Hossa netted his first of the season and capped the scoring on Andreas Dackell' second of the year with less than 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
Theodore, a native of nearby Laval, Quebec, saved his best for the final 20 minutes as the Islanders had several good chances. But he held his ground by with a glove stop on Alexei Yashin's blast midway through the session.
The line of Michael Ryder, Perreault and Donald Audette helped give Montreal an early lead. New York goalie Rick DiPietro made a kick save on Perreault's one-timer from the circle, but the Isles neglected to get to the loose puck, allowing Ryder to gain possession.
Once Ryder got the puck, he centered it for Perreault, whose one-timer from about 10 feet out went over DiPietro's left shoulder.
Audette had a chance to make it 2-0 with nine in the second, but his breakaway attempt was denied.
But with two minutes remaining in the middle period, Michael Ribeiro threaded a centering pass from behind the net through a defender's legs to Hossa at the left post. Hossa took the pass and rifled a soft shot through the right post for his 10th career goal.
"I am disappointed the way the game turned out," DiPietro, who suffered his first loss of the season. "We couldn't do anything in the first two periods. When we did get a chance, Theo (Theodore) made the stops. But stuff happens."
Montreal improved to 4-1-0 at the Bell Centre and capped its 35th home win over the Islanders when Joe Juneau knocked the puck away from DiPietro and onto Dackell's stick for a wraparound tally.
"Montreal is playing real sound," New York coach Steve Stirling said. "They're tight and they're disciplined. For us it was too little, too late. When we did get close Theodore was sharp."
