Backlund's OT tally lifts Flames over Wings
CALGARY, Alberta -- Mikael Backlund scored at 3:56 of overtime to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.
On a two-on-one with Mark Giordano, Backlund elected to blast a slap shot past Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek instead.
Kris Versteeg and Matthew Tkachuk scored first-period goals for the Flames (35-26-4), who have won six straight games and two in a row in overtime.
Calgary goalie Brian Elliott made 35 saves to record his fifth straight win.
Darren Helm and Tomas Tatar scored for the Red Wings (25-26-11), who have gone 3-1-1 in their past five games
Justin Abdelkader had two assists, while Mrazek finished with 30 saves.
With Mrazek on the bench for an extra attacker, Tatar took a pass from Henrik Zetterberg and snapped a shot off Elliott's left shoulder to tie the score at 19:58 of the third period.
Helm opened the scoring at 6:55 of the first period when he took a pass from Justin Abdelkader before snapping a shot from the top of the faceoff circle to the top corner over Elliott's glove hand.
Versteeg drew the Flames even at 8:19 during a Calgary power play when he one-timed a pass from TJ Brodie past Mrazek, who was screened on the play.
The Flames took a 2-1 lead at 13:07 on a goal by Tkachuk, who intercepted a backhand pass by Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall before making a quick deke and depositing a backhand shot past Mrazek.
The Red Wings carried the majority of the play in the second period as they outshot the Flames 14-2. Elliott made several nice stops, including a kick save with his right pad to thwart a scoring chance by Anthony Mantha during a Detroit power play.
NOTES: The Flames went with the same lineup they iced at home on Tuesday when they beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime. ... C Curtis Lazar, who Calgary acquired from the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday's NHL trade deadline, was scratched along with C Freddie Hamilton and D Dennis Wideman. ... Detroit recalled RW Mitch Callahan from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday and he suited up for his second NHL game against the Flames. ... Red Wings C Gustav Nyquist served the sixth and final game of his suspension for high-sticking Minnesota Wild D Jared Spurgeon on Feb. 12. Nyquist is eligible to return to Detroit's lineup in Edmonton against the Oilers on Saturday. ... Flames C Sean Monahan recorded his 100th assist and 200th point of his NHL career on Versteeg's goal in the first period.