Grind, grind, grind.

Two of the more offensively challenged teams in the NHL strutted their stuff at the Saddledome last night, Montreal and Calgary entering this contest barely able to score two goals per side.

While the Flames managed to fill their usual quota, the Canadiens came up one short, the result being a 2-1 Calgary victory, its second in a row on Saddledome ice over an Original Six team.

Martin Gelinas returned to the lineup to score on a Jordan Leopold rebound with only 1:14 remaining, giving newcomer Miikko Kiprusoff his first win in a Calgary uniform.

Kiprusoff was solid and at times brilliant, particularly in the final minute with the Canadiens buzzing to generate the equalizer.

While his counterpart Jamie McLennan, filling in for the acknowledged number one Roman Turek, is among the NHL's leaders in wins and goals against average, there is an oft-repeated observation that he has not been the equal of Calgary's otherwise impeccable defensive efforts this year.

While Kiprusoff didn't steal this game - the Flames essentially controlling the play from the second period onward - there were occasional opportunities for him to lose it.

He proved equal to the challenge.

"I felt pretty good," said Kiprusoff on FAN960 of his first start of the season after riding the pine in San Jose. "I was jumping around more than I usually would. We won the game though so that was good."

The victory evens Calgary's record at 8-8-0-2, giving them 18 points on the season and, temporarily at least pending other results, leaving them in a tie for ninth place in the NHL's Western Conference.

Flames outshot Montreal 32-23 on the night with Canadiens Jose Theodore keeping this one close through to the final minute.

Calgary has limited opponents to barely 21 shots on average this year, leading the NHL in that category.

It's been painfully obvious these last few years that the Flames would go nowhere until they at least improved play in their own zone.

Now among the better defensive clubs in the league, Calgary is beginning to close out games they might have otherwise lost in previous seasons.

Craig Rivet opened the scoring for Montreal at 15:02 of the first on a five minute power play, taking a behind the net pass from Yanic Perrault and catching Kiprusoff anticipating the play heading in a different direction.

But Calgary's big line of Steve Reinprecht, Jarome Iginla and Dean McAmmond quickly brought the game even, Reinprecht finding a gaping empty net at 19:07 of the first period after a fine effort by Jarome Iginla.

The two teams traded occasional opportunities from there, the balance favouring Calgary, but this one looked like it might be grinding down to overtime before Gelinas abruptly put the Flames ahead with a late goal.

The winner came from "the best line we had by a country mile" according to Flames assistant coach Rich Preston, identifying Craig Conroy, Shean Donovan and Gelinas.

It was the second game in a row, in the absence of injured Stephane Yelle, that Conroy had been deployed in the third line checking role.

If you know anything about Darryl Sutter, moving Conroy from the first line to the third may not have been a demotion as Sutter has long identified, both here and in San Jose, his checking line as the most important arrow in his quiver.

While Conroy has struggled offensively this year, the checking role is a familiar one for him given his career history.

The Canadiens had opportunities to tie in one brief flurry but Kiprusoff was equal to the task.

The fight card had Chris Clark tangling with Rivet in the opening moments and Darryl Langdon seeking retribution from Krzysztof Oliwa after the latter drew blood with a high stick.

Flames were zero for four on the power play while the Canadiens scored once in four opportunities.

Next up is Chicago at the Dome on Saturday night as the Flames continue with the third contest in their six game homestand.

Attendance was a disappointing 16,139, not bad for a weeknight but less than the Flames might have wanted for the Canadiens who are traditionally a tough ticket in this town.