Markstrom posts shutout, Lindholm nets 30th as Flames beat Red Wings to take Pacific Division lead

Elias Lindholm's 30th goal was the game-winner and Jacob Markstrom made 19 saves for his league-leading ninth shutout to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Tyler Toffoli and Blake Coleman also scored for Calgary (36-15-7), which entered the night in first place in the Pacific Division, five points up on the Los Angeles Kings with two games in hand. The Flames are 16-2-1 in their last 19.

The Flames were flying to Denver immediately after the game as they play their fifth game in seven days on Sunday night when they take on the Colorado Avalanche.

Barely tested through 40 minutes, 14 of Markstrom's stops came in the third period as Detroit mounted a late push. Markstrom is 28-11-6 on the season. 

Thomas Greiss, who was under siege most of the night, finished with 40 stops. He is 8-10-1.

WATCH | Lindholm nets 30th as Flames take down Red Wings:

The Flames opened the scoring at 9:22 on the power play when Lindholm wove through the neutral zone and into the Red Wings end before cutting to the middle of the ice and ripping a wrist shot into the top corner.

Thirty is a career high in goals for Lindholm, who is having a career season offensively with 62 points in 58 games. He's on an eight-game point streak with 13 points (seven goals, six assists) over that span.

Thanks to outstanding goaltending from Greiss, the game remained 1-0 into the third period when Calgary made it 2-for-2 on the man advantage at 8:25 with Matthew Tkachuk setting up Toffoli at the side of the net with a cross-crease pass.

Calgary put the game away at 15:38 when Coleman buried a cross-ice set-up from Chris Tanev.

Missing forwards Robby Fabbri and Tyler Bertuzzi, the Red Wings were down two of their top-four goal