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MONTREAL – This prompt payback is a classic case of losing for winning.

The Devils gagged last night on the residue of the salt they’d rubbed in the night before, when the Canadiens’ coach indicted his troops for disgracing their storied uniforms.

Back in this cradle of hockey, that accusation did not rest lightly on the shoulderpads of those Habs wearing those jerseys. It had the desired effect, one the Devils could not answer.

“It certainly did make a difference,” Montreal’s Doug Gilmour said after the Canadiens beat the Devils 3-1 here last night, avenging the 5-1 pasting New Jersey delivered Friday at the Meadowlands.

“We had a chance to redeem ourselves tonight,” Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. “When you lose a game like we did [Friday], you don’t want to wait two or three days.”

The Devils could lament the same timetable, quickly losing the slight momentum they’d gained with their first two-game winning streak of November, while watching Friday’s 3-for-6 power play revert to its usual 0-fer.

“We got what we expected from Montreal,” Pat Burns said. “In the latter part of the game, though, it wasn’t want they were doing, but what we weren’t doing.”

The victory was the second straight over the Devils for NHL MVP Jose Theodore, having zipped them 1-0 Feb. 5 at the Meadowlands. New Jersey beat Stephane Fiset in their final meeting last season and Jeff Hackett Friday.

It didn’t take long for the Canadiens to show that this was a different night. They opened the scoring 4:01 into play on Donald Audette’s first of the season, putting away the back door slam after Saku Koivu came from behind the net and centered through the crease from the left wing post.

“That first goal can make such a difference. The Canadiens opened up [Friday] when they got behind, while tonight, they surrounded Theodore,” Ken Daneyko said.

Burns had a strange unit on-ice in the final minute of the second period when Montreal took a 2-0 lead, using Sergei Brylin, Brian Gionta and Christian Berglund up front, while Scott Stevens was paired with Tommy Albelin, making his first appearance of the season.

No one checked Yanic Perreault in the left circle as he unleased two shots, the second set up by Gilmour to zip past Martin Brodeur’s glove at 19:19.

“That late goal in the second took it out of us,” said Brian Rafalski, who had just been on power play duty and was on the bench, instead of his usual spot with Stevens.

Perreault made it 3-0 with his second of the game and eighth this season at 3:59 of the third. Shooting from left wing a 2-on-1, he crashed the net to knock in the rebound, a goal upheld after video review.

Colin White averted the shutout, grabbing his own left point rebound in the circle and whipping it through Patrik Elias’ screen at 6:22 of the third.

“We had good chances early. Maybe a little bit of oomph in front of the net would have gotten it done,” Burns said. “I don’t think [Theodore] made the whole difference.”

It was more the result of Therrien’s indictment, Montreal’s response to New Jersey’s romp on Friday.

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Larry Robinson received a 5 minute-long standing ovation, honored last night for his years of Hall of Fame service with the Canadiens. The ovation only ended when he ducked back under the stands. . . Albelin took the lineup spot vacated by Oleg Tverdovsky, idled with a bruise from a crosscheck Friday. . .Habs’ leading goal-scorer Richard Zednik sat out with an inner-ear ailment. Montreal scratched Oleg Petrov, and inserted Bill Lidsay and Sylvain Blouin. . .Martin Brodeur extended his season-long starting streak to 15 games, within reach of his team record of 19 set last season.