Flames Beat Blackhawks In Shootout
CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Versteeg got a big shootout goal against his old team. Brian Elliott finally got his first win with his new one.
Versteeg scored the lone goal in the tiebreaker in the seventh round to give the Calgary Flames a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night and just their second victory this season.
Versteeg, who won Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in 2010 and 2015, faked Corey Crawford, pulled to a stop while dragging the puck and then fired a wrist shot into a wide-open net.
"It was definitely a little nerve-wracking when everyone kept missing," said Versteeg, who took part in a shootout for the first time since the 2014-15 season. "To go in and score is a nice feeling.
"I've probably taken two shots (in the shootout) in the last three years. It doesn't happen too frequently anymore, so when I do, I just kind of black out."
Elliott made 31 saves through overtime and blocked all seven in the shootout to win for the first time with Calgary after three losses. Acquired from St. Louis in June, Elliott had allowed 14 goals in his first three starts for the Flames.
"I definitely wanted that one," Elliott said. "We haven't been playing like we wanted to and the guys came out and had a heck of an effort."
Elliott was at his best with the game tied at 2 late in the third and in overtime, when Chicago had a power play and outshot Calgary 6-1. He made two point-blank saves on Richard Panik in the final three minutes of regulation, including a toe save from the edge of the crease as time ran out.
"It was a rebound right to him in the slot, and I just tried to throw the furniture at it," Elliott said. "Got a piece of it with my skate. It was good but I was on my butt and swimming to get back up."
Sam Bennett and Sean Monahan scored in regulation for Calgary, which snapped a two-game losing streak.
Patrick Kane and Brian Campbell connected in regulation for Chicago.
Campbell's goal, his first with the Blackhawks since rejoining them as a free agent in the offseason, tied it 2-all at 4:12 of the third. Campbell's feed from the right circle, intended for Artem Anisimov, deflected in off Calgary defenseman T.J. Brodie.
Crawford blocked 29 shots through overtime and made several close in saves early to keep it close.
The Blackhawks' sputtering penalty killers permitted two power-play goals in five chances to the Flames, who entered the game having scored just once in 25 opportunities with the man advantage. Chicago has allowed 14 goals in 26 short-handed situations this season and at least one power-play goal in each of its seven games.
"It seems like it (penalty-killing) finds a different way each time," coach Joel Quenneville said.
The Flames connected on their first two power-play chances before the Blackhawks killed the final three.
"I think we got more involved as the game progressed as far as having bodies and pucks to the net," Quenneville said. "But not enough initially and it took us a while to get into that department."
Bennett knocked in Calgary's second power-play goal of the season at 4:51 of the first period. He converted a rebound of Dougie Hamilton's shot from the right circle after outmuscling Chicago defenders to the loose puck.
Kane tied it at 1 at 1:32 of the second period with a rising shot from the right circle over Elliott's glove.
Monahan converted the Flames' second power-play chance at 6:52 of the second to put Calgary ahead 2-1.
NOTES: Chicago rookie D Gustav Forsling suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period and didn't return. ... Veteran Blackhawks D Michal Rozsival made his season debut after sitting out Chicago's first six games as a healthy scratch. First-year D Michal Kempny was a scratch for the first time. ... Chicago rookie F Vincent Hinostroza was scratched for a third straight game. ... Calgary rookie F Matthew Tkachuk, son of former NHL standout F Keith Tkachuk, was scratched for the second straight game.
UP NEXT
Flames: play the second of a back-to-back at St. Louis on Tuesday.
Blackhawks: play at New Jersey on Friday.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
