The Calgary Flames scored three goals in the second period and held off a late rally to defeat the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 on Saturday in Calgary.
Trailing 5-3, Ilya Mikheyev’s goal for the Blackhawks on a rebound with 1:08 remaining, with their goalie pulled for the extra attacker, brought Chicago to within 5-4 after facing a 5-1 deficit to begin the third period.
But Michael Backlund’s empty-net goal with 23 seconds remaining clinched the win for the Flames, who had lost their previous two games.
Jonathan Huberdeau, Connor Zary, Blake Coleman and Matt Coronato had a goal and an assist each and Nazim Kadri added a goal for Calgary. Dustin Wolf made 24 saves.
Tyler Bertuzzi collected two goals with an assist and Connor Bedard produced a goal and two assists for Chicago. Taylor Hall had two assists and Petr Mrazek stopped 24 shots for Chicago.
Bertuzzi scored 57 seconds into the third period to make it 5-2 and his 5-on-3 power-play goal with 8:30 left brought the score to 5-3.
The Flames scored on consecutive shots for a 2-0 lead in the first period.
Huberdeau’s shorthanded goal with 7:41 left in the first opened the scoring. After breaking in off the right wing, Huberdeau cut to the front of the net and put a backhand shot past Mrazek. Kadri made it 2-0 a mere 1:07 later when he snapped in a shot from the top of the left circle off the rush. It was Kadri’s fifth goal in six games.
Huberdeau had an opportunity to make it 3-0 with 5:47 left in the first period when he was awarded a penalty shot after being interfered with by Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy on a breakaway. But Mrazek stopped Huberdeau.
Bedard’s eighth goal put Chicago on the board with 9:51 left in the second period but Calgary responded immediately.
Zary restored the two-goal lead 28 seconds later and Coronado’s power-play goal 2:03 later made it 4-1, and snapped Chicago’s streak of 33 consecutive penalty kills.
Coleman’s goal with 2:09 left in the middle period made it 5-1.
Chicago defenseman Seth Jones returned after missing 16 games with a foot injury.
–Field Level Media
