Canadiens Make Coaching Change

The Montreal Canadiens have turned once again to an NHL coaching novice to lead them back to their winning tradition.

Claude Julien became the storied franchise’s 26th head coach Friday. He replaced Michel Therrien, fired by General Manager Andre Savard after Montreal won only twice in its previous 12 games.

Julien coached the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Ontario. He’s the fourth consecutive choice by Montreal without NHL head-coaching experience

Julien was in his third season as coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Bulldogs, who became the Canadiens’ shared affiliate with Edmonton this season, lead the AHL with 72 points and a record of 33-6-3-3.

The Canadiens will send a fifth-round draft pick to Edmonton -- which originally hired Julien -- as compensation.

Julien, who played 14 games with the Quebec Nordiques from 1984 to 1986, will make his NHL coaching debut tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The coaching change came after losses in Atlanta and Philadelphia this week in which the Canadiens scored only one goal and were outshot badly in both games.

Savard decided to make the change after Thursday night’s 4-1 loss in Philadelphia, and told Therrien on Friday morning before the Canadiens’ practice.

“It was a very, very tough decision, but a decision I think I had to make,” Savard said. “Our work ethic has to be better, it has to be more consistent. Whatever the reason is, we’re not competing as we should be.”

The Canadiens are fourth in the Northeast Division at 18-19-5-4.

Montreal had missed the postseason in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1922 and had the worst record in the 30-team league when Therrien was hired in the 2000-01 season.

Last season, he led Montreal to the playoffs for the first time in four years.

The Canadiens reached the second round before losing to Carolina in six games.

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The businessman who wants to buy the bankrupt Buffalo Sabres has until next Friday to finalize a purchase agreement. Mark Hamister was granted a third one-week extension Friday by the NHL.

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In Friday’s games:

New Jersey 2, Carolina 1 -- Joe Nieuwendyk scored the 500th goal of his career and Martin Brodeur stopped 33 shots at Raleigh, N.C. Nieuwendyk intercepted a clearing pass, outraced Sean Hill down the left wing, then faked goalie Kevin Weekes and scored to become the 32nd NHL player to score 500 goals.

Atlanta 3, Boston 1 -- Ilya Kovalchuk scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period for the Thrashers at Atlanta. Joe Thornton returned to the Boston lineup after missing five games with an elbow injury, but he was ejected in the first period for joining a fight.

Pittsburgh 3, Tampa Bay 2 -- Sebastien Caron made 29 saves as the Penguins won at Tampa, Fla., without center Mario Lemieux, who sat out for the fourth time in five games because of a nagging groin injury.

Vancouver 4, Chicago 2 -- Brent Sopel scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play with 6:42 remaining to lead the Canucks at Chicago. It was the Blackhawks’ first regulation loss since Dec. 15.

Toronto 4, Washington 1 -- Darcy Tucker scored two goals at Washington to help the Maple Leafs end the Capitals’ 14-game point streak.