Calgary Flames' Connor Zary (47) scores against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault as Canadiens' Arber Xhekaj (72) defends during second period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Tuesday, November 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
MONTREAL – Jacob Markstrom made 34 saves as the Calgary Flames defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary scored for Calgary (5-8-2), which left Eastern Canada with a win after an overtime loss in Toronto and a loss in Ottawa.
Markstrom earned his third win of the season in his first start in a week due to an upper-body injury.
Gustav Lindstrom scored the lone goal for Montreal (7-7-2), which lost its second in a row. Samuel Montembeault made 27 saves.
Montreal went 0-for-4 on the power play. Calgary was 0-for-3.
Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau of Saint-Jerome, Que., entered the game with a six-game point streak against Montreal, but was held off the scoresheet. The former 115-point player has two goals and five assists through 15 games.
Up 2-1, Andrew Mangiapane appeared to score the 100th goal of his career four minutes into the third period but the play was ruled offside after a Montreal challenge to keep it a one-goal game.
After Montreal then controlled the play for most of the period, Brendan Gallagher took a tripping penalty with three minutes left, drawing loud boos directed at the officials from the Bell Centre crowd.
The Canadiens then got a call in their favour over a minute later to make it 4-on-4. With 1:08 left, Markstrom robbed Josh Anderson with a glove save in front of the net to keep Calgary ahead.
Montreal had multiple shots with the goalie pulled as time wound down, but couldn’t find the equalizer.
Kadri opened the scoring at 2:35 of the second period with a pretty spinning wrist shot past Montembeault after a deke around Christian Dvorak to enter the offensive zone.
The lead was short-lived as Lindstrom replied 17 seconds later with his first for the Canadiens off a one-timer that hit Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson on its way into the net.
Canadiens defenceman Kaiden Guhle was shaken up when Elias Lindholm’s skate came up and caught him in the face, but avoided an injury.
Zary scored a tap-in off a feed from Andersson and regained the lead for Calgary at 13:07 of the frame.
Cole Caufield had a chance to tie the game with a one-timer from the slot, but Markstrom shut the door.
Some of Markstrom’s best work was in the first.
Montreal put the pressure on with nine shots in the first eight minutes, including one from the slot by Caufield that Markstrom turned away with his mask, but couldn’t take an early lead.
With under two minutes left in the period, Markstrom stretched out to make a left pad save on Caufield, who received a pass from Juraj Slafkovsky on a 2-on-1.
HONOURING TURGEON
The Canadiens held a pre-game ceremony for Pierre Turgeon, the newest member of their Ring of Honour. Turgeon was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday after a 19-season career where he totalled 1,327 points in 1,294 games.
The 54-year-old from Rouyn-Noranda, Que., played just 104 games in a Habs jersey but served as team captain during the 1995-96 season and the Canadiens’ last game at the Montreal Forum. He’s the 60th Canadiens player to make the Hall.
Turgeon also played for Buffalo, the New York Islanders, St. Louis, Dallas and Colorado. Although Montreal was a short stop, he said playing for the team he watched growing up was special.
“The first time I wore my jersey, I looked down and said, “˜this is the Canadiens, that’s incredible,'” said Turgeon before the game. “The Montreal Canadiens are like a religion, they’re an incredible team. To be part of their history is a privilege.”
UP NEXT
Calgary: Opens a two-game homestand against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
Montreal: Hosts the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursdays before a five-game road trip.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2023.
