SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Matt Cullen defied the odds by lasting in the NHL into his 40s.

Turns out the veteran Minnesota Wild center also knows how to celebrate his big day.

Cullen had a goal and assist on his 41st birthday, and Minnesota finished with a 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. The second-oldest player in the NHL to Calgary's Jaromir Jagr, Cullen now has three goals and four assists in eight games on his birthday.

"Obviously, it's fun to play this long, and I enjoy playing," Cullen said. "It was nice to get one tonight and nice to get the win."

Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves in goal for the Wild (5-4-2). Nino Niederreiter, Tyler Ennis, Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon and Marcus Foligno also scored for Minnesota, which recovered from a listless home loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

Matt Dumba, Mikael Granlund and Mikko Koivu each had two assists for the Wild, who started their season-long, six-game homestand 2-2-0 before the Thursday win.

"We're probably not taking our foot off the gas in the third period, I think, if we hadn't got the big lead," Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau said of his team being outshot 16-5 and giving up two goals in the third. "But I thought our first two periods were as good as (any) two periods we've played all year."

Montreal goaltender Carey Price allowed five goals, the seventh time in 11 games this season he yielded at least four goals. Price made 21 saves.

"It's definitely a battle, but I know how to get through it, so I'm not concerned about it," Price said.

Brendan Gallagher scored twice and Andrew Shaw added his first of the season for the Canadiens, who had won three of their past four games after a 1-6-1 start.

"Right now, we're just inconsistent, and that's the worst thing you want from a team because it gives you hope," Gallagher said. "Obviously, we still believe in each other. We know what we're capable of doing. We just have too many letdowns, and that's about being mentally tough. It falls on the leaders of this hockey team to step up and do the job, and I put that on myself."

Cullen returned to his native Minnesota in the offseason to end a steady career after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh the past two seasons.

Thursday marked his 1,500th NHL game, including the regular season and playoffs, which ranks 46th all time and sixth among active players. He started the scoring just 4:46 into the first period when he collected a rebound off Price's pads and quickly scored his first goal of the season.

"Obviously, in the middle of the season, it doesn't mean a whole lot," Cullen said of the milestones he has reached. "I feel really blessed to have played as long as I have, and I've really enjoyed it and I still enjoy it and that's why I'm playing. I'm sure when I sit down at home after it's all done, I'll really enjoy that."

Niederreiter scored his first of the season just 10 seconds later after Price's clearing attempt was stopped at the blue line by Dumba. Dumba's shot from the point was tipped by Niederreiter.

Ennis finished the three-goal first for the Wild with an assist from Cullen, who notched his 131st career multi-point game.

"Yeah, so impressive to be 41 years old and play as long as he has, to be able to play the way he does," Ennis said. "He's still got lots of juice, lots of skill. It's impressive, and it's fun to play with him."

Montreal's biggest concern is Price, the former Hart and Vezina trophy winner who has allowed at least four goals in three straight games.

"I think at the end of the day, we all know that Carey is a much better goaltender than he's showing right now," Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. "The only thing he can do, and we can do, is keep working with him, and him working hard and find his groove again because he's definitely the key to us getting back into the race here and being a playoff contender."

NOTES: Montreal RW Andrew Shaw was back in the lineup after missing practice Wednesday because of the flu. ... The Canadiens scratched LW Jacob De La Rose and D Joe Morrow. ... Minnesota scratched LW Zach Parise (back surgery), D Kyle Quincey and C Landon Ferraro (hip flexor). ... The Wild have won six straight games against the Canadiens, outscoring them 25-9 in that span. ... Minnesota F Tyler Ennis scored his 100th career goal playing in his 430th career game. ... Wild D Jared Spurgeon's power-play goal in the third period snapped an 0-for-19 stretch for Minnesota in the past five games. ... Montreal RW Brendan Gallagher has three goals in the past two games.