Calgary Flames

Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak makes a save in the first period Tuesday night as defenceman Jay Leach tries to control Flames captain Jarome Iginla. John Kenney, The Gazette

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AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Jaro Halak I and II | Jaro Spacek | Mike Cammalleri

• At a Glance: This time, you can't blame the Canadiens goaltender for the team's latest loss, a 1-0 shutout at the hands of the Calgary Flames. This time, the blame lies squarely on the offence, or lack thereof. Jaroslav Halak made one mistake on 31 shots, but that was enough for Calgary to extend its winning streak to four games. Jarome Iginla scored the games only goal on a wrist shot that went through a forest of legs and beat Halak, who didn't see the shot. Miikka Kiprusoff made 25 saves in the win, not many of them difficult.

• Key Moments: The Canadiens had a power play late in the third period, but as has been the case all too often this season, Montreal came up empty. They were 0-for-3 with the man advantage against the Flames, but they also held Calgary scoreless on five tries with the extra man.

• What It Means: The Canadiens are now 0-5 against teams from the Western Conference, including going 0-2 against the Flames.

• What's Next: The Canadiens are in Phoenix to face the Coyotes on Thursday (9 p.m.) and will play in Nashville on Saturday night (8 p.m.).

Canadiens' Guillaume Latendresse wheels away from Calgary net after beating Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff for first-period goal.
Todd Korol, Reuters

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POSTGAME AUDIO:  Jacques Martin | Jaro Halak | Mike Cammalleri | Kyle Chipchura

PREGAME AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Hal Gill | Travis Moen | Craig Conroy

• At a Glance: The Canadiens played their finest period of the youngest season through the first 20 minutes at the Pengrowth Saddledome against the Calgary Flames. But they were house-league awful in the second and ultimately fell 4-3, even with a much stronger third-period effort. It was Montreal's first loss in three games this season, having won in overtime vs. Toronto and Buffalo last Thursday and Saturday. The Flames won their third straight.

• Key Moments: Canadiens' Scott Gomez and Guillaume Latendresse scored 32 seconds apart in the final 73 seconds of the first to overcome a 1-0 deficit. Gomez drilled home a beautiful pass from former Flame Mike Cammalleri for his first goal as a Hab; Latendresse banged in a rebound off a Paul Mara shot for his first of the season. But if the hockey gods giveth, they taketh away: the Habs then totally stunk the Saddledome out in the second period, outshot 16-5 and lucky to escape tied at 3-3. That was thanks to a late goal, his first of the season, by centreman Tomas Plekanec, who had another outstanding game. Eric Nystrom's third goal of the game early in the final period was the winner.

• What It Means: The Canadiens got out of Calgary without an injury, beyond Gregory Stewart's over-the-eye cut being reopened in a fight. It was a pleasant break after having lost Andrei Markov in Toronto and both Ryan O'Byrne and Glen Metropolit in Buffalo.

• What's Next: The Canadiens were to leave Calgary immediately after Tuesday's game for Vancouver, where they meet the Canucks Wednesday at GM Place. The five-game, season-opening road trip ends Saturday in Edmonton.

DAVE STUBBS
The Gazette

CALGARY – This is what the bottom of the barrel looks like.

The Canadiens lost last night, and they lost horrendously, surrendering two shorthanded goals while rolling over 6-2 against the Calgary Flames to begin a six-game road trip.

This is a team, head coach Guy Carbonneau almost needlessly said, that needs to rediscover its passion. And more.

“A fear of losing is OK. But fear of playing is (not), and that’s where we are right now,” Carbonneau said, ashen-faced before the cameras.

Defencemen Patrice Brisebois and Mathieu Dandenault will sit out tonight's game, Guy Carbonneau going with the same lineup and, presumably, the same line combinations he used against Toronto but with Jaro Halak in goal.

Forward lines used this morning:

Plekanec between Kovalev and Andrei K
Koivu between Higgins and D'Agostini
Lapierre between Pacioretty and Sergei K
Bégin between Kostopoulos and Laraque

This is a homecoming of sorts for Steve Bégin, just his second game in the Saddledome since he left the Calgary Flames in 2003.

Plenty of audio to get you primed for the game:

• Carbo English  • Carbo French  • Komisarek  • Kovalev  • Bégin  • Kostopoulos 
• Flames coach Mike Keenan  • Flames captain Jarome Iginla

CALGARY – The Canadiens have lost five straight on the road. They've lost seven of their last nine overall. The Calgary Flames are riding a four-game losing streak.

So it's a battle of the Hab-nots against the flickering Flames tonight at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

• Stubbs looks at the trip's first game.
• Hickey on the Habs' Sunday practice.
• Calgary Herald's Vicki Hall talks to Georges Laraque about fighting in the NHL.
• The Herald sets up tonight's game.
• Flames need to bring grit: Bertuzzi

I'm headed to the morning skate of both teams at the Saddledome.

Audio and news updates to come mid-afternoon ET.

CALGARY – The Canadiens might have won just twice in their past nine games, but the Calgary Flames aren't exactly setting the Western Conference on fire. Losers of four straight, the Flames play host to the Canadiens Monday night at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Audio recorded following the Flames' noon-hour practice includes coach Mike Keenan talking about his days coaching Alex Kovalev, and how veteran goalie Miikka Kiprusoff might advise Carey Price to turn his game around. Also, Keenan on the legendary endless shift gave Kovalev during his sophomore NHL season with the New York Rangers.

• Mike Keenan  • Keenan on Kovalev's shift  • Miikka Kiprusoff  • Kiprusoff on Price  • Mike Cammalleri  • Cammalleri 2  • Todd Bertuzzi  • Craig Conroy

A happy, seated Robert Lang celebrates his first goal of the evening with Alex Tanguay and Alex Kovalev.
John Kenney, Gazette

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Audio: Guy Carbonneau  Robert Lang I and II
Jaroslav Halak  Matt D'Agostini 
Alex Tanguay (en français)  Andrei Markov

Centreman Robert Lang scored two goals and added an assist in a sparkling effort on a snowy night in Montreal, lifting the Canadiens to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Calgary Flames at the Bell Centre.

Rookie Matt D'Agostini and defenceman Andrei Markov also scored for the Habs, who are 4-0-1 through five games of a seven-game homestand.

It was a costly game for the Canadiens, who lost defenceman Mathieu Dandenault with a broken arm and Christopher Higgins with an upper-body injury. Dandenault is gone for a long stretch; no word until at least tomorrow on Higgins.

Jaroslav Halak was excellent in the Canadiens net tonight, making 32 saves in just his seventh game of the season behind No. 1 netminder Carey Price.