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MONTREAL -- Sean Monahan scored twice and added an assist to lift the Calgary Flames to a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night at the Bell Centre.
Dougie Hamilton recorded three assists for Calgary, which also got goals from Joe Colborne and Johnny Gaudreau.
Michael McCarron scored the lone goal for the Canadiens (33-34-6).
Niklas Backstrom, appearing in his first NHL game since Jan.13, 2015, made 21 saves for the Flames (31-35-6). Mike Condon stopped 30 shots for Montreal.
After a scoreless first period that featured more turnovers than actual scoring opportunities, it was the Flames who broke the 0-0 tie.
Sam Bennett skated a Canadiens turnover in the Flames' zone down the ice before sending a cross-ice feed to T.J. Brodie from the left circle. Both Montreal defensemen committed to the Calgary blue-liner, leaving Colborne alone in front to take Brodie's pass and easily poke it past Condon at 16:06.
Monahan's 25th goal of the season doubled the visitors' lead nearly three minutes later. Josh Jooris, down low, dished off to Dougie Hamilton at the point. Hamilton wound up for a fake slap-shot attempt before sending a wrister toward an uncovered Monahan at the lip of the crease.
Montreal's best chance came in the second period before the Flames got on the board, courtesy of Calgary defenseman Mark Giordano. The Flames captain tossed a backhand shot, looking to rim the puck behind the net, but Backstrom was alert to glove the puck before it got by him.
Gaudreau extended the lead to 3-0 at 10:38 of the third period. Monahan, in the slot, turned and found his winger in the right circle, and Gaudreau fired glove side.
Monahan piled on with his second of the night less than two minutes later on the power play. Condon saved Hamilton's shot from the point but couldn't smother the puck, and Monahan picked up the rebound to lift it into the net.
McCarron's first NHL goal ensured the Canadiens wouldn't be shut out for a second consecutive game. Nathan Beaulieu wired a point shot and the 6-
foot-6, 231-pound rookie, screening Backstrom while battling with a Flames defender, deflected it in just 36 seconds after Monahan's tally.
NOTES: The Canadiens' never-ending list of injuries added two more names on Sunday, with D Victory Bartley (lower body) and RW Sven Andrighetto (upper body) the latest to be sidelined. ... Montreal called up D Joel Hanley, making his NHL debut, from the AHL's St. John's IceCaps, while LW Jacob De La Rose drew back in after sitting as a healthy scratch on Saturday against Ottawa. ... Calgary was without D Deryk Engelland, who went to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. ... The Flames called up D Tyler Wotherspoon to replace him in the lineup while C Sam Bennett returned after missing four games with an upper-body injury. ... C Freddie Hamilton and G Joni Ortio sat as Calgary's healthy scratches.
