The struggling Calgary Flames found a familiar feeling. Johnny Gaudreau scored in the third period and the shootout to help the Flames rally for a 4-3 win against the Dallas Stars at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mikael Backlund and Dougie Hamilton scored for the Flames, who trailed 3-0 midway through the second period. Calgary has one win in the past four games, but have won five in a row at home. The Flames were among the NHL's best late-game teams last season, tying for first place in overtime wins (nine), ranking second in third-period goal differential (plus-31), and third in wins when trailing after two periods (10).
Jason Spezza, Cody Eakin and Mattias Janmark scored for the Stars. Dallas was 10-0-0 when leading after two periods and had won six consecutive road games. Gaudreau stickhandled through the slot before putting a quick shot between the legs of Dallas goaltender Antti Niemi in the second round of the shootout, and Sean Monahan beat Niemi to secure the win in the third.
The Flames began the rally early in the third period. After getting waved out of the faceoff circle, Backlund cut off Eakin's clean draw back to Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski and jammed his second rebound attempt by Niemi at 1:51.
Gaudreau scored his sixth of the season 1:10 later. Niemi denied TJ Brodie's initial shot and Monahan's rebound attempt, but Gaudreau scored on a third opportunity to pull Calgary within one. Hamilton completed the comeback with 2:18 remaining in the third when he took a pass from Monahan and put a shot over Niemi's glove to tie the game 3-3.
Jamie Benn hit the post 45 seconds into overtime and Tyler Seguin was denied by Karri Ramo seconds later, one of four saves in the extra period.
Spezza struck early in the first. After an outlet pass from Jordie Benn, Spezza got a step on Flames defenseman Ladislav Smid and beat Ramo over the glove at 1:48.
Dallas doubled their lead with 3:32 remaining in the period. Ramo saved the initial point shot from Jyrki Jokipaaka, but the rebound went off Eakin's skate before Hamilton kicked it into his own net. Janmark put the Stars up 3-0 at 11:16 of the second period during a delayed penalty, breaking down the wing off the rush and continuing behind the net to beat Ramo with a wraparound.
The goal came between two breakaway saves from Ramo, who denied Eakin at 10:30 and Jamie Benn's shorthanded attempt with 5:57 remaining in the period.
Stars Quotes
Jamie Benn: "We just stopped playing hockey. We knew they were a desperate hockey team over there. We knew they got some firepower and just a pretty embarrassing loss.""That was pretty embarrassing. We really have to learn our lesson. They just rolled the momentum. We stopped playing, kind of let them jump all over us. That's what's going to happen in this league if you sit back."
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