Flames at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens' three-game Western Canadian road trip could have gone worse - but it also could have been much better, especially on the offensive side. The Canadiens look to get their goal-scoring groove back Sunday as they kick off a home-heavy stretch with a visit from the Calgary Flames. Montreal went 1-1-1 during its three-game jaunt, its only victory coming in the form of a 2-1 shootout triumph over the Flames.
While the Canadiens look to bolster an offense that managed just three goals in three games out west, the Flames are hoping to build off a 2-1-2 homestand that ended with Friday's 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Sunday marks the kickoff of a five-game road trip for Calgary, which already has endured a seven-game trek. Jonas Hiller has made back-to-back starts in goal, making him the first Flames netminder to do so this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CITY (Calgary), RDS (Montreal)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (6-4-2): Injuries can force teams to make unconventional personnel changes - and defenseman Raphael Diaz nearly found himself in that situation. With the Flames down several forwards, Diaz was moved into the mix during practice prior to the win over the Predators but ultimately was moved back to the blue line for the game. "It goes so fast - boom - four forwards out," Diaz told the Calgary Herald. "We're missing big forwards on our team. It's hockey and that's the sport, but (injuries) can happen so fast."
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (8-2-1): As up and down as Montreal looked during its three-game trek, it now has the luxury of returning to the Bell Centre, where it owns a spotless 4-0-0 record entering Sunday. That bodes poorly for Calgary - and the rest of the league, for that matter, considering that the Canadiens will play eight of their next 10 games in familiar confines. Montreal will be looking for a spark on the power play, having gone a combined 0-for-12 over its previous five games to fall to 26th overall at 9.4 percent for the season.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary has won seven of the last 10 meetings between the teams but has dropped two in a row.
2. Montreal has opened the scoring just twice in its first 11 games.
3. The Flames are the only club in the league featuring a pair of defensemen atop their scoring ledger, as captain Mark Giordano and TJ Brodie share the team lead with nine points apiece.