CALGARY, Alberta — Adam Ruzicka had a goal and an assist, and the Flames beat the Islanders 5-2 on Saturday night for their sixth straight win.
Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm, Erik Gudbranson and Christopher Tanev also scored, and Johnny Gaudreau had two assists for the Flames, who have opened a seven-game homestand with three wins. Jacob Markstrom, making his 12th consecutive strart, finished with 19 saves to improve to 20-10-5 on the season.
Calgary climbed within one point of Vegas for first place in the Pacific Division. The Flames hold three games in hand on the Golden Knights.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and an assist, and Noah Dobson also scored for the Islanders. Ilya Sorokin, getting a surprise start after Semyon Varlamov was placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols during warm-ups, had 24 saves.
Colin Cooper, who played four seasons at Mount Royal University in Calgary, was the emergency backup goaltender but stayed in the dressing room though and did not sit on the bench.
Varlamov’s positive test means that Sorokin also will start on Tuesday in Buffalo. It’s also more inconvenient for the Islanders that Varlamov tested positive across the border, where regulations are more stringent than in the U.S.
Calgary struck first at 9:58 when defenseman Rasmus Andersson carried the puck in deep and around the net before centering a pass to Ruzicka, and the rookie center one-timed it into the top corner.
The Islanders tied it up with 2:53 left on a power play when Dobson’s point shot deflected off Blake Coleman’s stick and eluded Markstrom.
The Flames regained the lead 61 seconds later on a setup from Gaudreau, who crossed the Islanders’ blue line, curled back to buy himself some time and space and fed Tanev coming late in the slot, and he fired a 40-foot wrist shot inside the goal post.
Gaudreau extended his points streak to six games (four assists and seven points.
Calgary briefly built up a two-goal lead late in the second period when Ruzicka neatly set up Mangiapane’s redirection in front with 4¹/₂ minutes remaining. It was Mangiapane’s team-leading 24th.
But just over a minute later, the Islanders got back to within one when Pageau got free in the slot and one-timed Zach Parise’s pass behind Markstrom. The Flames got some insurance eight minutes into the third when Gudbranson scored his second of the season on a set-up from Milan Lucic. Calgary put the game away at 15:13 on Lindholm’s one-timer, which extended his goal streak to four and point-streak to six (4-3-7).
CALGARY, Alberta — Adam Ruzicka had a goal and an assist, and the Flames beat the Islanders 5-2 on Saturday night for their sixth straight win. Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm, Erik Gudbranson and Christopher Tanev also scored, and Johnny Gaudreau had two assists for the Flames, who have opened a seven-game homestand with three wins. Jacob Markstrom, making his 12th consecutive strart, finished with 19 saves to improve to 20-10-5 on the season. Calgary climbed within one point of Vegas for first place in the Pacific Division. The Flames hold three games in hand on the Golden Knights. Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and an assist, and Noah Dobson also scored for the Islanders. Ilya Sorokin, getting a surprise start after Semyon Varlamov was placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols during warm-ups, had 24 saves. Colin Cooper, who played four seasons at Mount Royal University in Calgary, was the emergency backup goaltender but stayed in the dressing room though and did not sit on the bench. Adam Ruzicka scores a goal on Ilya Sorokin during the Islanders’ 5-2 loss to the Flames.AP Varlamov’s positive test means that Sorokin also will start on Tuesday in Buffalo. It’s also more inconvenient for the Islanders that Varlamov tested positive across the border, where regulations are more stringent than in the U.S. Calgary struck first at 9:58 when defenseman Rasmus Andersson carried the puck in deep and around the net before centering a pass to Ruzicka, and the rookie center one-timed it into the top corner. The Islanders tied it up with 2:53 left on a power play when Dobson’s point shot deflected off Blake Coleman’s stick and eluded Markstrom. Ross Johnston fights with the Flames’ Erik Gudbranson during the Islanders’ loss.USA TODAY Sports The Flames regained the lead 61 seconds later on a setup from Gaudreau, who crossed the Islanders’ blue line, curled back to buy himself some time and space and fed Tanev coming late in the slot, and he fired a 40-foot wrist shot inside the goal post. Gaudreau extended his points streak to six games (four assists and seven points. Calgary briefly built up a two-goal lead late in the second period when Ruzicka neatly set up Mangiapane’s redirection in front with 4¹/₂ minutes remaining. It was Mangiapane’s team-leading 24th. But just over a minute later, the Islanders got back to within one when Pageau got free in the slot and one-timed Zach Parise’s pass behind Markstrom. The Flames got some insurance eight minutes into the third when Gudbranson scored his second of the season on a set-up from Milan Lucic. Calgary put the game away at 15:13 on Lindholm’s one-timer, which extended his goal streak to four and point-streak to six (4-3-7).