Toffoli scores twice, Canadiens end Flames winning streak at three

MONTREAL -- Tyler Toffoli scored twice and the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Calgary Flames 2-1 at Bell Centre on Friday.

Jake Allen made 28 saves in his sixth straight start for Montreal (19-13-9), which is 2-4-0 with goalie Carey Price out because of a lower-body injury.
"I don't think we had our best games and he kept us in all of them," Toffoli said of Allen. "So he's been playing incredible, all throughout the season as well. I mean Carey as well, so having both of them, and especially Jake right now, is really key."
Elias Lindholm scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 18 saves for Calgary (19-22-3), which had won three straight, including 4-2 in Montreal on Wednesday. The Flames had won four straight against the Canadiens.
"We needed four points and two regulation wins," Lindholm said. "We oniy got one win and obviously we're disappointed."

Montreal is in fourth place in the seven-team Scotia North Division, six points ahead of Calgary, which has played three more games. The top four teams in the division will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"We know these games against Montreal are so crucial," Calgary forward Mikael Backlund said. "So it feels really, really sour to lose today, and it's just really disappointing, a tough loss."
Toffoli deflected Joel Armia's pass into the top right corner for his second goal of the game, his Canadiens-leading 21st, to put Montreal up 2-1 at 15:45 of the third period.
It was Armia's first point in two games after missing eight because of the NHL COVID-19 protocol.
"He's been at home in isolation, and it's tough on a guy, especially dealing with that and not being around the guys," Canadiens captain Shea Weber said. "So to be back and contributing, I'm sure he's thrilled."
Toffoli scored his 20th goal on a wrist shot past Markstrom's glove from the slot to give Montreal a 1-0 lead at 9:32 of the second period.
It is Toffoli's fifth 20-goal season in the NHL, and his fastest (38 games). He scored his 20th goal in his 42nd game with the Los Angeles Kings in 2015-16.

Allen made a stick save on Lindholm earlier in the period, lunging to his right to steer the shot wide of an open left side.
Lindholm tied it 1-1 at 6:30 of the third. His backhand from the slot went in off the skate of Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot, who returned after missing 15 games because of a broken hand.
"We stuck together, you know, we didn't let a bad bounce falter us there in the third," Toffoli said. "We stuck with it and continued to push and make plays and be confident."
Rasmus Andersson and Johnny Gaudreau each had a shot hit the left post on a power play after Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki was penalized for high sticking at 12:49 of the second.
"We had looks all night, but it's funny how it works, sometimes they go in and sometimes they don't," Lindholm said. "But we've just got to stay with it, keep going, keep creating and it will come."
Calgary hosts a three-game series against Montreal from April 23-26.
"We understand what's ahead of us and what's behind us," Allen said. "We're not looking behind, we're looking at chasing the guys ahead of us. So we realize every game is important. That's the way we treat it."
NOTES: Toffoli is tied with Pierre Turgeon (1995-96) and Max Pacioretty (2013-143) for the third-fastest Canadiens player to score his 20th goal of the season since Gilbert Dionne did it in his 34th game in 1991-92. Martin Rucinsky and Brian Savage each scored his 20th goal in his 37th game for Montreal in 1996-97. … Price could return against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. He took part in the morning skate after practicing the previous two days for the first time since aggravating his injury on April 5. … Calgary had four games against the Vancouver Canucks rescheduled. The Flames will host the Canucks on May 13 and 19 and play at Vancouver on May 16 and 18. … Montreal's final home game against the Edmonton Oilers was changed to May 12.