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Canadiens-Flames Preview

Oct 5, 2009 - 10:17 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Montreal (2-0-0) at Calgary (2-0-0), 9:00 p.m. EDT

The Calgary Flames haven't opened a season 3-0 in 15 years. The Montreal Canadiens are more accustomed to quick starts, especially on the road.

The Flames and Canadiens look to continue their strong play when they meet at the Pengrowth Saddledome on Tuesday night.

The Flames (2-0-0) haven't won their first three games since 1993-94, when they were 4-0. They moved closer to duplicating that feat Saturday with a 4-3 victory at Edmonton, as David Moss scored his second goal of the game with 48.7 seconds to play.

Moss capitalized on an error by Nikolai Khabibulin, who ventured out to play the puck, only to have Moss poke-check it into the open net.

The win came two days after Calgary scored three first-period goals to beat Vancouver 5-3.

"We played hard," coach Brent Sutter told the Flames' official Web site after the victory over the Oilers. "There's still areas we need to improve on, obviously. Especially in our own zone and some play in the neutral zone. But you go on the road and you get a big win. It's huge."

The Canadiens (2-0-0) are off to a good start to their cross-continent five-game road trip. Brian Gionta scored in overtime of 2-1 win over Buffalo on Saturday, two days after Josh Gorges' goal with 12.8 seconds to play in the extra period lifted Montreal over Toronto 4-3.

Montreal started the 2005-06 season 3-0-0 with each victory coming on the road, and it went 4-0-2 in its first six road contests last season.

If the Canadiens are going to continue their success away from home, they may need to improve defensively. They were outshot 35-17 by the Sabres after overcoming the Maple Leafs' 46-27 advantage in the opener.

"The chances aren't as bad as the shots, but we have a lot of work to do," first-year coach Jacques Martin said. "We'll take the two points, but at the same time we know we have to improve in certain areas."

Carey Price, who has never faced the Flames, has been outstanding in two starts, allowing four goals while making 77 saves. Price struggled through the second half of last season, going 7-12-5 with a 3.39 goals-against average in 26 games.

"I think it was a pretty good season, but it was a tough second half and people remember the second half," Price told the team's official Web site.

Montreal dropped its last three visits to the Pengrowth Saddledome, the most recent a 6-2 defeat Feb. 9 as the teams split two meetings last season.

The Flames' nine goals this season were scored by eight players. That offensive balance was in play in the Feb. 9 matchup, with six Calgary players - one of them Moss - recording goals.

Calgary, however, is also struggling defensively. The Flames were outshot 76-44 in their two games, forcing Miikka Kiprusoff to make 70 saves.

Kiprusoff has won all four of his starts against the Canadiens, posting a 1.97 GAA.

After taking on Calgary, the Canadiens face Vancouver on Wednesday before concluding their trip against Edmonton on Saturday.