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
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Golf season a summer tourism driver in Canada
Golf is a sign of spring and summer and a major driver for seasonal tourism, experts say.