The Canadian loses 5-2 to the Flames in Calgary

(Calgary) Mikael Backlund reached the 200-goal mark with a double on Saturday, helping the Calgary Flames win 5-2 against the Montreal Canadiens.

Backlund first successfully deflected a shot at 16:23 in the first period.

The Flames captain took advantage of a numerical advantage after Kaiden Guhle was punished for hooking.

Backlund deflected a MacKenzie Weegar point shot for a 14^e goal this season.

He then collected a 200^e NHL goal very early in the middle period – just 11 seconds after the action resumed.

Cayden Primeau put in a long rebound on a Weegar shot and Blake Coleman returned the puck to the front of the net, where Backlund was lurking.

Martin Pospisil, Nazem Kadri and Daniil Miromanov also thwarted Primeau, author of 23 saves.

Dustin Wolf blocked 36 shots for the Flames. The latter deserved a second victory in a row, after a series of three losses.

Cole Caufield and David Savard responded for the Canadian, who has only one victory in five games.

At 7:41 in the second period, Pospisil made it 3-0 by taking advantage of a rush pass from Jonathan Huberdeau.

The Quebecer also took part in Kadri’s goal, at 1:01 in the third period.

Huberdeau has six assists in seven games.

Also an accomplice in Kadri’s goal, Yegor Sharanovich had an excellent month of March, with seven goals and four assists.

The Canadian’s first response was on the 20th^e goal by Caufield, at 10:34 in the second period.

Caufield scored with a one-timer from the top of the right circle, following a pass from captain Nick Suzuki.

Caufield hadn’t threaded the needle since Feb. 15, when he scored a double at Madison Square Garden.

He had participated in seven nets since that time.

With 1:35 left in the second period, Ste-Flanelle reduced the Flames’ lead to 3-2 with Savard’s goal, his sixth of the season.

The veteran scored with a slap shot from the blue line.

The Flames, however, regained control with two goals in 2:53 in the third period.

From the second minute of the match, Primeau stood in front of Coleman on a breakaway, following a turnover.

In the fifth minute, Arber Xhekaj hit the post to Wolf’s left, with a shot from the slot.

In the middle of the engagement, Suzuki kept the puck before shooting an imprecise shot, during a two-on-one with Caufield.

The Habs finished the first third with a numerical superiority but the only threat came from afar, from Juraj Slafkovsky.

Martin St-Louis being absent for family reasons, the CH was led Saturday evening by assistant Trevor Letowski.

The Habs announced the news regarding St-Louis early in the evening.

The Canadian begins a five-game trip that will also take him to Edmonton, Vancouver, Seattle and Denver.

The Bleu-Blanc-Rouge will face the Oilers on Tuesday evening.

On November 14, the Flames defeated the Canadian 2-1 at the Bell Centre.

Ryan Huska’s lineup is in the midst of a four-game homestand.

There remains a visit from the Washington Capitals on Monday evening.