Monahan, Lindholm lead Flames past Leafs
TORONTO — Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm scored in a 55-second span of the third period to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.
Lindholm and Monahan each added an assist as Calgary snapped a three-game losing streak. Michael Frolik added an empty-net goal to seal it. Mike Smith made 24 saves.
Nazem Kadri, playing his 500th NHL game, scored for Toronto. Frederik Andersen stopped 31 shots.
The Leafs, who were coming in off consecutive victories over the Winnipeg Jets, lacked jump in their first game without Auston Matthews.
Matthews, the NHL’s second-leading goal-scorer this season, is expected to miss at least four weeks because of an injured left shoulder.
The 21-year-old center was placed Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm (28) shoots as Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Zach Hyman (11) looks on during third period Monday in Toronto. on injured reserve Monday but will not need surgery.
Matthews was injured early in the second period Saturday during Toronto’s 3-2 victory over Winnipeg. Defenseman Jacob Trouba delivered a clean shoulder-toshoulder check as Matthews tried to cut in front of the net.
Matthews skated to the bench, favoring his left side before heading to the locker room with training staff.
A season after their surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Vegas Golden Knights are finally starting to look like an expansion team.
The Knights were in sixth place in the Pacific Division on Monday after a slow start to a season that finally saw them make progress after a five-game home stand capped by Sunday night’s 4-3 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators.
Perhaps it’s because last season the Golden Knights were 8-3 through their first 11 games and just three points out of the division lead. They had outscored the opposition 41-31 as they got their inaugural season off to a rapid start. Vegas also allowed three or more goals just four times in that span. The season, of course, ended with them falling short of the Stanley Cup.
This season so far, Vegas has been outscored 30-26 and the Knights have allowed three or more goals seven times.
Noticeably missing from the second line are James Neal, who at this time last year led the team with seven goals and 10 points, and David Perron, who had contributed four goals, four assists. Neal is now in Calgary and Perron is in St. Louis and their presumed replacements — Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny — are on the shelf.