(SportsNetwork.com) – The Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens will meet for
the second time in less than a week, as the clubs complete their season series
Sunday at the Bell Centre.
The Canadiens posted a 2-1 victory at Calgary on Tuesday, with P.A. Parenteau
providing the lone goal of the shootout to lift the Habs past the Flames.
It was the second straight win in the series for Montreal, but Calgary still
has seven victories over the past 10 meetings. The Flames have struggled in
Montreal, losing two of three and six of their last eight in “La belle
province.”
The Canadiens, however, followed the recent win over the Flames with
Thursday’s overtime setback in Vancouver. The 3-2 loss came at the end of a
1-1-1 road trip for the Habs.
Montreal hopes to get back on track on home ice, where the Canadiens will play
two straight and six of their next seven games. The Habs own a perfect 4-0
mark at the Bell Centre this season.
The Canadiens did well to earn a point from Thursday’s tilt in B.C. Vancouver
led 2-0 after Brad Richardson tallied early in the third period, but Alex
Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty both scored in the final 10 minutes of
regulation to send the game to OT.
“It didn’t look like it on the scoreboard but we came out with a lot of jump
tonight,” said Pacioretty. “There’s a lot of positives to take from this
trip.”
Daniel Sedin scored the winner for the Canucks at 2:45 of overtime. The
decisive goal came on the power play after Montreal’s Tom Gilbert was called
for interference 50 seconds into the extra session.
Carey Price stopped 27 shots in the loss and he is expected to start on
Sunday. Price is 3-4-0 with a 2.68 goals against average in his career against
the Flames.
Calgary lost its second straight game in last Tuesday’s loss to the Habs, but
the Flames snapped the slide with Friday’s home victory over Nashville.
Johnny Gaudreau scored the deciding goal for the Flames, who used three third-
period tallies to fuel a 4-3 comeback victory over the Predators. Calgary
trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes, but Jiri Hudler, T.J. Brodie and Gaudreau all
scored in the first seven minutes of the third period to give the Flames
control of the game.
Hudler tied the game at 2:36 of the third period and Brodie put the Flames in
front with a power-play tally less than two minutes later. Gaudreau made it
4-2 Calgary at the 6:37 mark, notching the eventual game-winner before
Nashville’s James Neal made it a one-goal game with 9:13 remaining.
“Tonight was a great job by our guys. It’s about momentum,” Flames head coach
Bob Hartley said. “Whenever you can control the puck, that is the best
defense. You make plays, you’re creative. We encourage everyone on the team to
play like this.”
Sean Monahan and Gaudreau each tallied a goal and an assist for the Flames,
while Jonas Hiller made 28 saves for the victory. Hiller stopped 13-of-14
shots in the all-important third period.
After becoming the first Flames netminder to start consecutive games in
2014-15 on Friday, Hiller could get the start over Karri Ramo again tonight.
Hiller is 2-1-3 with a 2.37 GAA in six career outings against the Canadiens,
while Ramo is 1-1-1 with a 3.75 GAA versus Montreal.
Calgary is beginning a five-game road trip tonight and is 4-2-0 as the guest
this season.
