Caufield's third-period goal helps Canadiens to 2-1 victory over Flames

Cole Caufield broke a third-period tie and Sean Monahan had a pair of assists against his old team as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Thursday.
Rookie Juraj Slafkovsky, with his fourth goal of the season, also scored for Montreal (12-10-1), which has won seven of its past 11 games.
Elias Lindholm had the lone goal for Calgary (10-10-3). The Flames are 1-3-1 in their past five.
Jake Allen made 45 stops to improve to 7-8-0. Jacob Markstrom, who was only tested 19 times, had his record fall to 8-6-2.
Tied 1-1 in the third, the Canadiens got a power play six minutes into the period when Andrew Mangiapane was sent off for roughing. He grabbed Josh Anderson from behind after the Montreal forward gave a fake cross-check to Markstrom while the two exchanged words after a whistle.
Montreal entered play in a 1-for-17 tailspin with the man advantage. But on their second power-play of the night, they needed just 31 seconds to convert with Caufield leaning into a one-timer after being set up on a cross-ice pass by Nick Suzuki.
Slafkovsky gave Montreal the lead just 13 seconds in and the score remained that way until the final minute of the second when Calgary finally drew even.
Lindholm's attempt to centre the puck from behind the net was steered away by Allen.
While a scramble for the loose puck ensued at one side of the Canadiens' net, Lindholm curled out front undetected on the other side. When Jonathan Huberdeau ended up corralling the puck, he zipped it across the crease for a tap-in for Lindholm.
In his first game against his former team, Monahan was credited with an assist on the opening goal off a misplay by Markstrom.
The goalie charged out of his net after a loose puck and went into a sideways slide. Monahan was able to sidestep the Flames goalie, avoiding a collision, but Markstrom knocked the puck right to Slafkovsky who stepped around the netminder and fired it into the vacant net.
Markstrom has struggled at times this season. Coach Darryl Sutter rewarded goaltender Dan Vladar for his strong play of late with starts in three of the past four games.
Markstrom's early miscue drew the ire of the home fans, who responded with a Bronx jeer on his next save that came on a shot from a long way out.
Calgary outshot Montreal 12-6 in the opening period, but couldn't solve Allen. Their best chance was Blake Coleman's breakaway with two minutes left but Allen made a pad stop.
MONAHAN'S REVERED RETURN
Monahan was recognized with a video tribute during a first-period TV timeout and waved to the crowd as he was given a standing ovation.
He played 656 games over nine seasons with the Flames. Coming off his second hip surgery, he was traded to Montreal in the off-season.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Game 2 of Montreal's four-game road trip goes Saturday night in Edmonton.
Flames: Calgary's five-game homestand continues Saturday against the Washington Capitals.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
23 vehicles towed, dozens of tickets issued as rally marks one-year anniversary of 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa
OPS and Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 192 parking tickets and 67 Provincial Offences Notices in downtown Ottawa this weekend, as people gathered marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.

'COVID is not done,' Canadian infectious disease expert says ahead of WHO announcement
While RSV and flu cases steadily decline in Canada, the World Health Organization is set to announce on Monday whether it still considers COVID-19 a global health emergency, but one infectious disease specialist says we still need to keep an eye on the coronavirus.
YouTube star MrBeast helps 1,000 blind people see again by sponsoring cataract surgeries
YouTube superstar MrBeast is making the world clearer -- for at least 1,000 people. The content creator's latest stunt is paying for cataract removal for 1,000 people who were blind or near-blind but could not afford the surgery.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion dies at 101
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
'24,' 'Runaways' actor Annie Wersching has died at 45
Actor Annie Wersching, best known for playing FBI agent Renee Walker in the series '24' and providing the voice for Tess in the video game 'The Last of Us' has died. She was 45.
Ukrainian kids find cellphone signal on hill, set up makeshift school
On a bleak, windswept hillside in northeast Ukraine, three young boys recently discovered a cell phone signal, something difficult to find in their region since Russia invaded their country. and they've set up a makeshift school around the signal.
Russian teen faces years in jail over social media post criticizing war in Ukraine
A Russian teenager must wear an ankle bracelet while she is under house arrest after she was charged over social media posts that authorities say discredit the Russian army and justify terrorism.
Father pushing Manitoba to follow Ontario, Saskatchewan in screening for CMV
Roughly one in 200 babies born in Canada today will have congenital cytomegalovirus, a virus that can lead to hearing loss, intellectual disability or vision loss. But with only two provinces screening newborns for CMV, one father is asking other health-care systems to do more.
Emotional prayer room ceremony marks 6th anniversary of Quebec mosque shooting
An emotional ceremony took place today marking the sixth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting, held for the first time in the same room where many of the victims were killed. Six men died that night: Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane and Aboubaker Thabti were gunned down not long after evening prayers at the suburban Quebec City mosque.