There is only one way to determine whether or not a team can stay alive in the race for the prize - and that's to see how a team does against the NHL's better teams.

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Mike Cammalleri #13 of the Montreal Canadiens takes a shot while being defended by Darren Helm #43 of the Detroit Red Wings during the NHL game on November 21, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Red Wings defeated the Canadiens 3-2 in a shootout.

Photograph by : Getty Images

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The Canadiens went into Washington, and even though they were outshot 27-8 in the final two periods, they emerged with a 3-2 victory.

Last night: a 3-2 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings while being outshot 34-18.

One out of two against so-called elite teams, but with three points out of a possible four, at least there's now a glimmer of hope for the Canadiens.

What I'm really saying is that this is one time the Canadiens can call one point for losing as good as a win, coming back as they did with two goals from Michael Cammalleri in the third period after going into the second intermission outshot 23-11 and trailing by two goals. I suspect coach Jacques Martin felt that way, because here's a guy who rarely smiles after a win, yet here he was wearing one after a loss in his post-game sermon to the media.

Carey Price has had five straight starts and hasn't allowed more than two goals in any of the games. That's as good as it gets.

It's what teams hope they get from their goaltenders, but rarely do. Put it this way: even while Cammalleri and Andrei Kostitsyn were getting it done offensively in the third period, Price was the guy who got this team there with a number of big-time stops among the 34 shots he faced.

What he also had to do was deliver despite his teammates taking five penalties in the first period, leaving themselves shorthanded two men twice - and scrambling to stay alive while the Red Wings poured shot after shot at Price.

The penalty box score on the game: Canadiens 6, Detroit 1.

It started with Georges Laraque receiving a well-deserved double minor for high sticking along with a minor for tripping.

Price eventually was beaten on one of Detroit defenceman Brad Stuart's eight shots in the first period - he had 10 of his team's 34 in the game. Price was also beaten two minutes later by Pavel Datsyuk after Paul Mara was caught cross-checking.

Talk about trading in helmets for dunce caps!

You'd think all of the home boys would know that the Red Wings, who went into the game with 10 wins and 10 losses (four of the latter in extra time) are better than their record indicates. They're not the Red Wings of the last two seasons, but they still carry bags loaded with talent.

In other words, they're difficult enough to play against at full strength. Yet here was Laraque taking a six-minute penalty without throwing a punch. In other words, taking somebody with him. And here were the Habs providing the Red Wings with two-man advantages twice in the first period.

They were fortunate they didn't come out of the first period trailing by at least three and, perhaps, four goals after being outshot 16-3. They can thank Price for that.

They can also thank the Red Wings for letting them back into the game.

I mean ... how often do you see a team trailing 2-0 after the second period being allowed to score nine seconds into the third period? It was a long shot from Cammalleri that Detroit backup Jimmy Howard saw all the way, yet allowed the puck to deflect off his elbow and into the net.

It was one of those goals teams more often than not build on, particularly on nights they're being outshot and outscored - and wouldn't you know it: Cammalleri was back 8:36 later with the tying goal, which tells you why he scored 39 in Calgary last season. It's called being in the right spot at the right time - a foot or so outside Howard's crease on time to direct a splendid pass from the boards by Kostitsyn.

What it also tells you is why the Red Wings have been having so much trouble this season.

Nicklas Lidstrom probably did the right thing heading toward Kostitsyn. Henrik Zetterberg, however, did the wrong thing when he appeared to be completely disinterested in checking Cammalleri. He did, however, score Detroit's second goal in the shootout after Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec were shut down.

Win some, lose some.

rfisher@thegazette.canwest.com