Markstrom makes 34 saves in return from injury, Flames edge Canadiens

Markstrom missed the previous two games because of an upper-body injury for Calgary (5-8-2), which has gone 3-1-1 following a six-game losing streak. Connor Zary had a goal and an assist.

Gustav Lindstrom scored his first Montreal goal and Sam Montembeault made 27 saves for the Canadiens (7-7-2), who have lost consecutive games and are 2-5-1 in their past eight.

Markstrom made a glove save on Josh Anderson’s shot from the slot on a setup by Sean Monahan with 1:08 left in the third to hold onto Calgary’s 2-1 lead.

Nazem Kadri gave the Flames a 1-0 lead at 2:35 of the second period. He spun around in the high slot after carrying the puck into the offensive zone and scored on a long wrist shot past Montembeault, stick side.

Lindstrom tied it 1-1 at 2:52. The Swedish defenseman pinched to shoot a rebound over Markstrom for his third NHL goal, his first since Feb. 13 for the Detroit Red Wings in a 6-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks.

Zary put Calgary up 2-1 at 13:07 when he redirected Rasmus Andersson’s pass from the right side into the left side of the net from the edge of the crease. The rookie forward has six points (three goals, three assists) in his first six NHL games.

A potential Calgary goal by Andrew Mangiapane at 4:10 of the third period was disallowed on a successful challenge by Montreal. Video review confirmed Flames forward Elias Lindholm was offside on the play.

Lindstrom, who was recalled from Laval of the AHL on Sunday, played instead of Jordan Harris, who is day to day because of an upper-body injury.