their success this season,

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(SportsNetwork. .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. You can watch the game on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt and get in-depth player stats and more with our Game Tracker. The Canadiens played two in a row at home to open the campaign, losing to Toronto last Tuesday before notching a 4-1 win over Philadelphia on Saturday. Montreals line of Alex Galchenyuk, Lars Eller and Brendan Gallagher led the way with a combined six points, while Carey Price made 22 saves. Eller and Gallagher both had a goal and an assist, while Galchenyuk notched a pair of helpers. Eller has three goals and two assists through the first two games. "Its a matter of more experience and learning to handle yourself out there," Eller admitted. "A lot of things coming together, but puck pursuit is big, even when we dont have the puck. (Its) about giving them less time to make a pass, and forcing them to make bad ones." Montreal is set to visit Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Winnipeg on this swing and will look to build some chemistry both on and off the ice over the next week. "Its a great opportunity for us to spend some time together, get to know each other a little more personally off the ice and build those relationships and bonds. Its something that translates onto the ice," said defenseman Josh Gorges. Forward Max Pacioretty will return to the lineup after missing Saturdays game with a wrist injury and captain Brian Gionta will also be in the lineup after tending to a family situation. Fellow forward Rene Bourque could also have some extra jump tonight as he faces his former Flames team for the second time since getting dealt to the Canadiens on Jan. 12 of last year in a deal that sent Mike Cammalleri to Calgary. Tonights game will also mark the 500th of his career, one that began with the Chicago Blackhawks before a trade to the Flames. The 31-year-old has amassed 134 goals and 128 assists in his career. "I think as you get older and you get more experienced, you tend to change things and adapt to the speed of the game. Hockey in the east is a little different from the west. I think its a little bit more wide open," noted Bourque. The Flames play the middle contest of a three-game homestand tonight and have earned four of a possible six points through three games, sandwiching a pair of post-regulation losses around a win over Columbus last Friday. Calgary fell 5-4 in overtime to Vancouver on Sunday but was lucky to get a point. The Flames led by two goals in the third period before the Canucks scored three straight. Calgarys David Jones was able to send the game into overtime on a goal with 19 seconds left in regulation, however. Joey MacDonald made 23 saves, but was beaten by Mike Santorelli 3:17 into overtime. "We didnt make good enough decisions I thought," said captain Mark Giordano, who had a goal. "It cost us. We cant let teams grab the momentum like that, especially in our home rink." Sean Monahan, the sixth overall pick of the most recent draft, scored his second goal and third point in this third NHL game, though did struggle at times on the defensive end. "His offensive upside is there," Flames head coach Bob Hartley said. "Thats undeniable. Like any kid of 18 years old, he got spun on one of their goals and lost his man; those are the lessons you need to learn from. What he offers and what he brings is pretty special for an 18-year-old kid." The Flames and Habs did not meet last season after Calgary took both encounters during the 2011-12 campaign. The Flames have won three straight and six of the past seven meetings overall and are looking to avoid their first home loss to Montreal since Jan. 5, 2002. Calgary is 6-0 with a tie at home versus Montreal since. . Atletico Madrid also stayed perfect thanks to goals by Diego Costa in a 2-1 win against Osasuna, giving it 18 points, although Barcelona stay top with its better goal differential. .Rookie coach Mike Pettines decision to start Brian Hoyer instead of first-round pick Johnny Manziel wasnt popular among fans, but the Browns are 5-3 and in the mix in the AFC North. . On Friday night, Kuznetsov began compiling the North American version of his greatest hits -- posting three assists for his first NHL points in the Capitals 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks.Brendan Rodgers said he had never slept better heading into the heavyweight clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. Rodgers has spent the best part of three months ducking and diving from the questions about pressure and his sides title bid. Yet, when his team entered the raucous theatre of Anfield to another stunning rendition of Youll Never Walk Alone standing across from his side was the all too familiar opponent of Chelsea. It was Chelsea that had given Liverpool their toughest test in 2005 on the way to them winning a remarkable European Cup. It was Chelsea who was the last team to defeat Liverpool in the Premier League, back in December, and now it was Chelsea standing in front of the gates that guarded the path towards the Premier League trophy. Now, that is pressure. It could not have been scripted more perfectly. A former, true heavyweight in the game, whose level amongst the elite has slipped over the past two decades, now with a clear path towards a shock championship, if only they can get past the powerhouse in blue. It was at Chelsea, of course, where Rodgers worked on his craft under Jose Mourinho and now it had come full circle, a chance for the pupil to defeat the teacher on the grandest of stages. Up until now, even against Manchester City earlier this month, Liverpool had played with a reckless abandon, punching holes in defences and predictions, while gathering more and more believers that they could do what was thought to be impossible just five months ago. Their journey had guided them closer and closer to the pinnacle. With three games left, Liverpool needed just seven points from their last nine to win it all, and with Crystal Palace and Newcastle to come, there was no more hiding from the facts, no matter what Rodgers said. Dont lose to Chelsea and the title should be yours. Despite what Jose would want you to believe, this was no minnow facing up to the Reds as Chelsea picked a team that they had paid over 100 million pounds to assemble. Inside the tight, organised system drawn-up by Mourinho, the visitors were exactly as expected. Liverpools breathless starts had catapulted them to within touching distance of glory but on this bright, sunny afternoon they werent allowed to sprint out of the box. Chelsea sat deep and allowed them to have a lot of the ball but with it the home team suddenly looked a side that carried extra weight. The weight of expectation can get very heavy on a footballers shoulder. With every pass, the Liverpool players had an extra thought. The brilliantly organized visitors closed the space and with it the punches, so ruthlessly delivered in past games by Liverpool, were missing. Raheem Sterling was Liverpools brightest player in the first half. How refreshing it is to see a young Englishman appreciate space as much as he does. Still, Liverpool probed but if Chelsea were on the ropes they were hanging out by them comfortable at taking the punishment. Branislav Ivanovic, back at Anfield after Luis Suarez took Mike Tyson style bite out of him last April, was magnificent leading Chelseas back four. Young Tomas Kalas could not have asked for a better partner to learn from on his Premier League debut. Gary Cahill and John Terry have been excellent this season but the Serbian defender reads the game superbly and, contrary to the English defenders, never loses his cool. Cesar Azpilicuetta, back to his more comfortably right back slot, was excellent and both he and Ashley Cole looked like full backs who had been sent out to do a specific job, narrowing the back four and inviting Liverpool to stretch the field and take the ball where they didnt want to. . It had been over seven months since Liverpool had played 45 Premier League minutes at home without scoring and as the half-time whistle grew nearer, at 0-0, tension started to creep in at Anfield. Then the creeping exploded. When Steven Gerrard received the ball in front of the Kop he made one small mistake, miscontrolling it, then a bigger one, slipping to retrieve it, and then the rope-a-dope was on as Demba Ba sprinted in alone to deliver a knockdown punch. One nil Chelsea. It was a scene from Liverpools not so distant past, one that wouldnt have been out of place last season when many a team would come in and force a maturing Liverpool into a mistake. It was those mistakes that helped Liverpool learn and progress but even they had been stunned with such a rapid climb that had brought them so tantalizingly close where suddenly those mistakes were far more costly than when the likes of Downing, Carroll and Adam were on the payroll. Such progression meant they now had to face up to something they hadnt really seen. Adversity. And it was delivered in the cruelest of manners with Gerrard, the catalyst for so much of their success this season, falling to his knees in the middle of his favourite place on earth. There was a second half still to play but Liverpool never looked the same. They had never been behind for longer than 35 minutes since their last game against Chelsea but once again that total was overtaken against the familiar foe. Suarez had a shot well saved and Joe Allens volley almost went in but Chelsea were resilient throughout, delivering a true knock-out punch just before the final bell when Willian tapped home. An under-the-weather Mourinho sprinted down the touchline again while Rodgers crossed his arms and looked on. Chelsea had done the double on Liverpool when many teams couldnt even beat them once. Liverpools fans headed to the exits heads full of emotions about the title race, knowing the title was still in reach but now out of their hands. They will feel they can get to 86pts with two remaining wins but Man City, all too familiar with winning leagues on goal difference, can now get to that mark as well and should if they can finally get over a huge hurdle for that club and win at Goodison Park next week. Chelsea, still two points behind Liverpool, are likely out of the race but, once again, showed a team what you have to become to be winners. Without Petr Cech, John Terry, Ramires, Eden Hazard, Samuel Etoo and others, they had shown the style and character it takes to succeed in the biggest of games. Liverpool are rightfully anxious to win the league because it has been over two decades since they last did so, but, equally, they should be anxious knowing that a giant powerhouse, supposedly in transition, are getting stronger by the week. This was a weaker Chelsea yet still they set the standard you must match to be champions. They will, likely, spend many more future sunny Sundays in late April wrapping up title bids rather than ripping up those of their opponents. Sleep well, Brendan. You may never have a better chance than right now. ' ' '