Richer Scores Twice as Canadiens Get Past the Flames, 5-3

Stephane Richer scored two goals Monday night to help the Montreal Canadiens snap Calgary’s four-game unbeaten streak with a 5-3 victory over the Flames.

The triumph was only the second in nine games for the Stanley Cup champions.

Calgary rookie Brian Bradley scored on the power play 9:16 into the game for the only goal of the first period. Then Chris Chelios and Richer scored less than two minutes apart in the second to put Montreal ahead, 2-1.

Chelios grabbed the puck off the boards in the center of the rink and broke in alone on Flame goalie Rejean Lemelin to score at 7:07. Richer caught a pass in the slot at 8:37 and beat Lemelin from there.

Richer scored again 1:49 into the third period to give Montreal a 3-1 lead. He blasted a 30-foot drive from outside the faceoff circle to the left of Lemelin, high into the Calgary net.

But the Flames responded with their second power-play goal of the game as Joel Otto scored at 4:07 to cut the Montreal lead to 3-2.

Bobby Smith put Montreal ahead 4-2 at 11:08 when he batted a drive off the stick of Craig Ludwig, but the Flames made it 4-3 at 14:26 on a goal by Paul Reinhart--again on the power play.

Guy Carbonneau scored an empty-net goal at 19:30 for Montreal’s fifth goal.

Referee Dave Newell suffered a knee injury and left the game in the third period. Linesmen Ron Finn and Gord Broseker completed the game, with Finn in charge.

The Canadiens lost forward Chris Nilan, who left the game in the first period with an injured left knee. His status was listed as day-to-day.