Frolik, Elliott lead Flames past Coyotes
CALGARY, Alberta -- Michael Frolik had a goal and an assist to lead the Calgary Flames to a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Dennis Wideman, Lance Bouma and Mikael Backlund also scored for the Flames (20-17-2), who jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one period of play.
Goaltender Brian Elliott (7-9-1) made 27 saves in the Calgary net to record his fourth straight win.
Brendan Perlini and Martin Hanzal scored for the Coyotes (11-21-5), who lost their seventh straight game.
Back-up goalie Louis Domingue finished with 20 saves while making a rare start in net for Arizona.
Trailing 4-1 after two periods, the Coyotes pulled within two goals at 11:53 of the third when Martin Hanzal redirected a shot taken by Jordan Martinook past Elliott.
Frolik snapped a 20-game goalless drought at 6:08 with a power-play goal. Rookie left winger Matthew Tkachuk took the initial shot that bounced off Arizona defenseman Connor Murphy right out front to Frolik for an easy goal. That extended Tkachuk's point-scoring streak to six games.
The Coyotes appeared to draw even four minutes later, but the goal was disallowed because Hanzal directed the puck into the net with a high stick.
Wideman then blasted a point shot past Domingue at 12:09 before Bouma bounced a pass, intended for Garnet Hathaway, off Arizona defenseman Alex Goligoski and in only 29 seconds later. For Wideman, it was his first goal in 27 games.
Backlund wrapped up a strong opening period for the Flames with a power-play goal at 15:42 when he redirected Mark Giordano's point shot past Domingue.
The Coyotes responded with a much better second period as they outshot the Flames 16-6. They were rewarded for their hard work when Perlini tapped a feed from Shane Doan past Elliott at 15:40.
Arizona nearly cut the deficit to two goals one minute later, but Elliott did the splits to make a nice toe save to stop a breakaway attempt by Tobias Rieder.
NOTES: G Mike Smith started 12 straight games before Arizona coach Dave Tippett decided to go with G Louis Domingue against the Flames on Saturday. It was Domingue's first start since Dec. 5 and first action since a relief appearance on Dec. 12. "Sometimes you've just got to change a few things up to get a different look," Tippett told reporters after Arizona's morning skate Saturday. ... Arizona C Ryan White missed his fourth straight game with a lower-body injury. ... The Coyotes assigned D Kevin Connauton to the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League on Friday for a conditioning stint. ... Arizona's lone healthy scratch was RW Josh Jooris. ... D Tyler Wotherspoon and C Freddie Hamilton sat out for Calgary, while RW Troy Brouwer missed his third straight game with a broken finger. ... Flames D Dougie Hamilton (illness) made his return to Calgary's lineup after sitting out Thursday's 3-1 loss at home to the Anaheim Ducks.