Canadiens 6, Flames 2
CALGARY, Alberta -- Right winger Dale Weise scored three goals and the Montreal Canadiens snapped a two-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the struggling Calgary Flames on Friday.
The Canadiens (10-2-0) had won nine straight to start the season before dropping back-to-back games in Vancouver and Edmonton this week prior to coming to Calgary, where their hosts are now 1-5-1 (2-8-1 overall).
Weise completed his hat trick with just over eight minutes remaining, drawing a shower of hats from the Canadiens fans in attendance.
Defenseman Nathan Beaulieu, right winger Devante Smith-Pelly and left winger Paul Byron, with a short-handed, breakaway goal early in the third period, also scored for Montreal.
Rookie goaltender Mike Condon made his third start of the season for Montreal and made 30 saves for his third win.
Flames goals were scored by right wingers Jiri Hudler and Josh Jooris.
NOTES: The Canadiens had no injuries to report. Their healthy scratches were RW Alexander Semin, D Greg Pateryn and D Jarred Tinordi. ... Flames injuries include C Lance Bouma (leg), LW Micheal Ferland (lower body) and G Jonas Hiller (lower body). Calgary's scratches were LW Brandon Bollig and D Ladislav Smid. ... Only the Columbus Blue Jackets (41) had allowed more goals than the Flames (40) prior to play Friday, making goaltending even more important to the team. "It doesn't change our job one bit," starting G Joni Ortio told reporters before the game. "It doesn't matter if we score six goals, you still don't want to let goals in. It puts a little more emphasis on it if we're not scoring, but I don't think it changes my mindset." ... Friday's game was the first appearance in Calgary for Canadiens LW Paul Byron since being claimed on waivers from the Flames on Oct. 6. Byron played his first game for Montreal in Edmonton on Thursday after occupying a seat in the press box for the first 10 contests.