Backlund keeps streaking in Flames win vs. Avs
CALGARY, Alberta -- Mikael Backlund ran his goal-scoring streak to five straight games as the Calgary Flames beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Wednesday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Alex Chiasson had a goal and an assist for the Flames (21-17-2), who converted three of seven power-play opportunities. Kris Versteeg and Johnny Gaudreau also scored, while Mark Giordano, Sean Monahan and TJ Brodie chipped in with two assists each.
Brian Elliott made 17 saves in the Calgary net to record his fifth straight win.
Patrick Wiercioch scored the lone goal of the game for the Avalanche (12-25-1) with 1:25 left in the game to spoil Elliott's shutout bid.
Making his sixth straight start in net for Colorado, Calvin Pickard did his best to keep the Avalanche in the game by making 34 saves.
Colorado has lost five games in a row and 10 of its last 11.
The Avalanche didn't get their first shot on net until just after the 10-minute mark of the first period when Elliott made a routine glove save to catch a puck fired his way from the point by defenseman Francois Beauchemin.
Versteeg opened the scoring at 15:25 of the first during a power play for the Flames when he spun and fired a shot from the slot that hit Colorado defenceman Fedor Tyutin's skate on its way into the net past Pickard, who had no chance on the play.
Colorado had a great chance to tie things up a couple minutes later when center Carl Soderberg used a burst a speed to cut around Calgary defenseman Dougie Hamilton and toward the net, but Elliott made a pad save to end the scoring threat.
Early in the second, on another man advantage for the Flames, Pickard made a nice pad save to stop a shot by Chiasson, who was set up in front by Gaudreau.
Later in the second, Mikko Rantanen one-timed a pass from Colorado captain Nathan MacKinnon that hit the post behind Elliott before bouncing back dangerously through the crease.
The Flames went up 2-0 at 17:20 of the second with another power-play marker by Backlund, who now has 200 career NHL points. Backlund's five-game streak is the longest for the Flames since Curtis Glencross scored goals in seven straight games from Feb. 27 to March 11, 2012.
Rookie left winger Matthew Tkachuk drew an assist on Backlund's goal to extend his point-scoring streak to seven games in a row.
While falling to the ice, Brodie shovelled a pass out front to Chiasson, who one-timed it past Pickard at 13:25 of the third for yet another power-play goal.
Gaudreau then scored a wrap-around goal 44 seconds later before Wiercioch drove to the net and put a shot through Elliott's legs at 18:35 to round out the scoring.
NOTES: After sitting out the past 12 games as a healthy scratch, Flames C Freddie Hamilton was back in the lineup against Colorado on Wednesday. ... D Tyler Wootherspoon also returned to action for the Flames after being scratched for Calgary's 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 31. ... Calgary's healthy scratches were RW Garnet Hathaway and D Jyrki Jokipakka. ... The Avalanche used the same lineup it utilized in a 3-2 loss in Vancouver to the Canucks on Monday, meaning that LW Andreas Martinsen was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. ... D Eric Gelinas sat out his second straight game for Colorado with a lower-body ailment, while G Semyon Varlamov missed his sixth straight contest with a groin injury. ... Avalanche D Tyson Barrie brought a career-high, five-game point streak into Wednesday's game. Barrie had one goal and six assists in the stretch, which is the longest by any player on the team this season.