The Calgary Flames have traded controversy for good fortune and turned their season around. They even found a way to beat the Colorado Avalanche.
Sean Monahan on Monday scored 2 minutes, 9 seconds into overtime and the Flames rebounded after losing a two-goal lead to beat the Avalanche 5-4.
The Flames’ Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, while Derek Ryan also scored. Goalie David Rittich made 28 saves for the Flames, who have won five straight under interim coach Geoff Ward.
The Flames’ Andrew Mangiapane and Michael Frolik scored 1:27 apart to start the third period.
Ward took over for coach Bill Peters, who resigned after it was disclosed that he directed racist slurs at a Nigerian-born player in the minors a decade ago, and kicked and punched players behind the bench during his recent stint with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Flames were 11-12-4 under Peters, but have yet to lose with Ward behind the bench.
“We’re having fun right now. We’re enjoying it,” Monahan said. “When you come to the rink and you’re working for the guy next to you — and to see smiles on guys’ faces — that goes a long way.”
Monahan ended the frustration when he got a pass from Dillon Dube and beat Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz, who finished with 28 saves.
“Dubes made a sick toe-drag right in the middle of the ice,” said Tkachuk, who scored his 200th career point with his goal. “Monny was showing off his speed there going wide and he did an unreal move going that fast with a guy on him right over the glove.”
Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin, Ryan Graves and Joonas Donskoi scored for the Avalanche, who had won six straight.
“We looked tired. We didn’t have a lot of energy. Execution was poor,” coach Jared Bednar said. “It’s a tough game coming back off a week road trip, three tough games, all big wins, coming in and playing a hungry team that’s on top of their game.”
The Avalanche’s MacKinnon had an assist on Donskoi’s goal and played 14 of his team-high 29 shifts after the second period.
“He dominated the last 17 minutes,” Bednar said. “I was double shifting him. He was buzzing and he ended up being part of two big goals for us — and he almost had another one in overtime.”
The Avalanche took an early lead on Graves’ fifth goal in the first period, and the Flames tied it on Ryan’s tip at 9:33 of the second. Nichushkin’s fifth goal in eight games, and fifth of the season, 31 seconds later gave Colorado the lead again, but Tkachuk scored seven seconds into a power play to tie it.
Also on Monday, it was:
‧ Islanders 5, Lightning 1
‧ Blue Jackets 5, Capitals 2
‧ Senators 5, Bruins 2
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