Connor Zary posted his first career multi-point game with one goal and one assist to pace the visiting Calgary Flames to a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
Nazem Kadri also scored for the Flames, who were winless in the first two outings of a three-game road swing but ended it on a high note. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 34 saves in his return from an upper-body injury that forced him to miss two games.
Markstrom’s biggest save came with just over a minute remaining in regulation when he gloved Josh Anderson’s golden opportunity on a Canadiens power play. Markstrom also enjoyed good fortune, with the snake-bitten Anderson and Mike Matheson ringing shots off the iron earlier in the period.
Gustav Lindstrom scored for the Canadiens, who have lost two straight games. Goalie Sam Montembeault stopped 27 shots.
Kadri opened the scoring 2:35 into the second period when he eluded a defender at the blue line, worked to the high slot, spun and ripped a shot into the net for his third marker of the season.
Lindstrom replied 17 seconds later with his first goal of the season to even the count. Lindstrom fired from a sharp angle, an effort that was going wide, but the puck banked into the cage off Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
Zary restored Calgary’s lead at 13:07 of the period. He was parked at the far post and redirected Andersson’s crossing pass for his third goal of the season in just his sixth NHL game. Zary has points in five of his six NHL games since being summoned from the AHL.
It marked the first time since the second game of the season that the Flames led after two periods.
The Canadiens frantically pushed for the equalizer and had their opportunities during their late power play, but they failed to draw even despite buzzing around the Calgary zone.
–Field Level Media
