MONTREAL (AP) -- Buoyed by word that Trent McCleary was out of danger, Jose Theodore wanted to let his teammate know his thoughts were with him.

"I didn't think much about hockey before the game," the Montreal Canadiens goalie said after stopping 23 shots in a 3-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

	Montreal's Dainius Zubrus takes Carolina's Steve Halko to the boards during the first period Sunday.

To a man, Theodore's teammates voiced the same sentiments.

One day after undergoing an emergency tracheotomy to save his life, McCleary's condition had improved to the point where he was breathing freely, with the help of a respirator, at the Montreal General Hospital.

McCleary, a 27-year-old right wing, was rushed to the hospital Saturday with a fracture of the larynx and collapsed right lung after he was struck in the throat by Chris Therien's slap shot during a 2-2 tie with the Philadelphia Flyers.

David Mulder and Vincent Lacroix, Canadiens team physicians, performed the surgery.

Mulder advised the Montreal players of McCleary's improved condition prior to Sunday's game and read a note from McCleary.

"Doing great, everybody," said the message. "Here's $500 on the board for the win. I'll be listening. Battle hard. Go Habs."

It was signed Trent No. 6.

The news was what the Canadiens were hoping to hear.

Benoit Brunet, who scored the first of two empty-net goals with 40 seconds left in the third period, acknowledged his relief. Patrice Brisebois added the other empty-netter 10 seconds later.

"I think it comforted the guys a little bit that he was in OK shape -- not the best shape, but he was not in critical shape," Brunet said. "I think that eased the pressure down on the game."

The crowd of 19,380 applauded when word of McCleary's condition was posted on the Molson Centre scoreboard midway through the third.

Turner Stevenson scored his second goal of the season with just over six minutes left in the third to give Montreal a 1-0 lead.

Stevenson, who also scored Saturday, dug the puck out of the right-wing corner and drove to the Carolina goal, where he beat Arturs Irbe with a backhander between the legs.

Irbe, who stopped 27 shots, wasn't surprised the Canadiens put up a particularly fierce effort.

"I'm sure it gave them an extra boost for this game," Irbe said. "We tried to play tight and put a lot of effort on the ice but we couldn't get any goals or any breaks and one puck slipped by me, and that was enough to decide the fate of the game."

Theodore was determined to avoid that particular fate.

"I probably played on emotion," Theodore said. "I didn't want to be a part of losing this game.

"I was really putting pressure on myself to play well for him. I didn't want to let him down because we said before the game -- after hearing his words of encouragement and knowing that he'd be watching -- obviously it motivated all of our players."

Theodore turned aside 23 shots to record his fifth career shutout. He also moved into a four-way tie for second in the NHL with four shutouts, behind Buffalo's Martin Biron, who leads with five.