Ducks hand Flames 25th straight loss in Anaheim
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Kevin Bieksa scored his first goal in 3 1/2 months to give the Anaheim Ducks a lead they would not relinquish as they rallied for a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at the Honda Center.
Patrick Eaves and Chris Wagner also scored for the Ducks (44-23-13), who received 26 saves from goalie John Gibson and retained sole ownership of first place in the Pacific Division with two games left.
The victory extended Anaheim's home winning streak over Calgary to 25 games, the longest streak of its kind in NHL history. Fans briefly chanted in the final two minutes, "You can't win here!"
However, the Ducks lost defenseman Cam Fowler with 6:09 gone in the third period. Fowler had to be helped off the ice after a knee-on-knee hit in the slot from Calgary's Mark Giordano that sent Fowler sprawling into the boards behind Anaheim's net.
After Fowler left the ice, six fights erupted within 10 minutes. Referees Ian Walsh and Brad Watson assessed 106 minutes in penalties in the final 13 minutes, with three game misconducts.
Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames (44-32-4), who are tied on points with the Nashville Predators in the race for the Western Conference's top wild-card berth.
Anaheim hold a four-point division lead on both the Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks.
Flames goalie Brian Elliott made 16 saves after relieving Chad Johnson with 5:19 gone in the game. Johnson left after stopping the only shot he faced, Andrew Cogliano's wrist shot from the left point. That shot appeared to injure Johnson, but no report was forthcoming.
Bieksa's third goal of the season broke a 1-1 tie at 13:02 of the second period. Bieksa fired a slap shot from the right circle near the boards that hit Elliott's right leg pad and trickled behind the goalie into the net. Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan challenged the call, which video replay upheld.
Bieksa scored for the first time since Dec. 15 during a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins.
Wagner extended Anaheim's advantage to two goals 6:43 into the third period. Wagner scored his fifth of the season by snapping a shot inside the right post after receiving Logan Shaw's pass from the left corner.
The Flames had two chances to move ahead before Backlund scored the game's first goal. T.J. Brodie's long pass from Calgary's zone freed Johnny Gaudreau for a breakaway but Gibson used his glove to deflect Gaudreau's wrist shot before falling on the puck 7:03 into the game.
Nearly six minutes later, Michael Frolik's wrist shot from the right circle during a three-on-two attack hit the upper-right corner of the goal frame. But the Flames finally secured a 1-0 lead with 4:41 left in the first period, when Backlund deposited the rebound of Giordano's wrist shot from the blue line inside the right post for his 22nd goal.
But the Ducks, who managed one shot on goal in the first 12 1/2 minutes, tied the score 48 seconds into the second period.
Ryan Getzlaf fired a shot off the draw from the left circle in the Flames' zone through Matt Stajan's legs. Elliott blocked the shot with his right leg pad but Eaves converted the rebound into an open net for his career-high 31st goal of the season, eighth in the last nine games and his 10th in 18 contests with Anaheim. Getzlaf recorded his 54th assist.
NOTES: Calgary scratched D Rasmus Andersson, C Freddie Hamilton, C Curtis Lazar and D Dennis Wideman. ... Flames D Mark Giordano needs one goal for 100 in his career. ... Anaheim scratched D Hampus Lindholm, D Sami Vatanen and RW Jared Boll. ... Anaheim's Cam Fowler needs one goal to take over third place on the team's list of career goals by a defenseman.