Montreal Canadiens Outmaneuvered by Calgary Flames' Powerplay Prowess

The Montreal Canadiens, with a record of 14-20-6, faced off against the Calgary Flames, who held a 24-16-5 record. The final score reflected the intensity of the game: 5-2 in favor of the Flames.

The Canadiens entered the match at Scotiabank Saddledome with determination, but despite their efforts and a dominant faceoff win percentage of 67 percent, they could not overcome the Flames. Montreal's offense managed to fire off an impressive total of 38 shots on goal but only found success twice. The team's shooting accuracy was low at five percent compared to Calgary's more effective eighteen percent.

Montreal's powerplay unit struggled throughout the game, failing to convert any of their three opportunities into goals. They took four minor penalties which resulted in eight penalty minutes; however, their penalty kill was able to prevent any goals during these times. In contrast, Calgary capitalized on their powerplay chances by scoring two goals out of three opportunities.

Defensively, Montreal blocked a substantial number of attempts with 22 blocked shots and delivered seventeen hits over three periods. However, this physicality did not translate into control over the puck as they gave it away sixteen times while managing only eight takeaways.

The goaltending for Montreal showed resilience despite being under constant pressure from Calgary's attackers. The Habs' goalie made twenty-three saves but allowed five goals against on twenty-eight shots for a save percentage rounding up to one hundred percent due to rounding rules applied here (actual save percentage would be lower).

Looking ahead for fans of the Canadiens: The team will next hit the ice against Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place in Edmonton on March 19th at 7:00 PM MDT. This upcoming encounter can be watched live on ESPN+, where supporters will hope for a better outcome than what transpired in Calgary.