The Calgary Flames (7-13-3) saw a two-goal lead disappear in the third period, but finally earned the extra point with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars (13-5-4) Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Matt Coronato got the offense going again with a power play goal – his eighth goal of the year – while Joel Farabee added his fifth to give Calgary early control. Nazem Kadri contributed with two assists and then made the decisive tally in the shootout to lock up the victory.
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In goal, Devin Cooley had another strong performance, stopping 28 shots to earn his second straight victory.
Cooley rode into the night, riding the momentum of his first victory of the season against the Buffalo Sabers Wednesday and with a goals against average of 1.80 and a save percentage of .935 in six outings. He was tested immediately, as Dallas pushed hard from the start. The Flames goaltender stood tall during an early Stars power play, fending off several tight chances and stopping all 13 shots he faced in a crisp first period.
The Flames failed on their first power play attempt, but broke through with their second power play of the period. Coronato took a pass from Nazem Kadri, moved to the side of the net and slipped the puck past Casey DeSmith to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.
© Brett Holmes-Imagn Images
The middle frame opened a bit like the first…with Cooley stealing the show. The Flames goaltender fended off another wave of pressure from Dallas, including a spectacular glove save on Alexander Petrovic that sent the building into one of its loudest, most genuine eruptions of the season. The surge of energy spread through the crowd and seemed to lift the Flames bench.
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Calgary continued its momentum by leading all four lines and pushing the game consistently until the end of the Stars. They had 17 shots on goal in the period, but were unable to extend their lead.
Tensions rose in the final minute when Mikko Rantanen pushed Coronato into the boards from behind, earning him a five-minute major penalty and a boarding misconduct. It was the second straight game Rantanen was ejected for boarding. Jonathan Huberdeau – who had an assist in the contest – immediately stepped in to defend his teammate, dropping the gloves and receiving both an instigator, a five-minute major fight and a 10-minute misconduct. Coronato, suddenly cut off, headed straight to the locker room.
The tone inside the Saddledome changed abruptly as the horn sounded. Despite the chaos, Calgary led 1-0 in the third.
© Brett Holmes-Imagn Images
Calgary extended its lead early in the third, just 1:50 in, when Rasmus Andersson’s point shot was redirected by Joel Farabee for his third goal in two games, giving the Flames a 2-0 lead.
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Dallas pushed back. At 6:44, Jason Robertson closed the gap when he stepped into the slot and fired a shot that deflected off one skate and slipped past Cooley, making the score 2-1. The Stars completed the comeback at 16:53, when Roope Hintz converted a Robertson backhand and fired it past Cooley to tie the score at 2-2.
The Flames found themselves down two men late in regulation, but held on, killing off a critical 5-on-3 to reach overtime. With no resolution in the extra period, the match turned into a shootout, where Kadri finished it with a nifty backhand to secure the victory.
© Brett Holmes-Imagn Images
1. Cooley’s confidence is growing quickly
Devin Cooley followed up his first win of the season with another composed performance. His positioning was precise, his reads were on point and he fought to limit second-chance looks. With each start he looks more confident, and you can see the ripple effect: his teammates seem more and more settled playing in front of him.
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2. Kuznetsov logs big minutes
Yan Kuznetsov quietly shouldered a heavy workload, leading all Flames defensemen with 8:20 in the first period and finishing with a substantial 22:55 total ice time alongside partner MacKenzie Weegar. It was his ninth NHL appearance of the season, and he’s now almost certain to reach the 10-game threshold that officially burns out the first year of his entry-level contract.
3. Kadri sets the tone again
Nazem Kadri was everywhere. He drew two penalties, collected two assists and buried the shootout winner. From the first faceoff, he dictated the pace and directed the play – another reminder of how important he is to Calgary’s identity and competitiveness.
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Cooley on the team’s performance:
“When everyone is together, we are a really strong team. We played one of the best teams in the league and I thought we were incredible.”
Huberdeau on the group’s overall effort:
“I thought we were a fast team tonight, I thought it was one of our best games, I felt like it, all year.”
Coronato on rebounds:
“I think as a group we’re playing with more confidence, we’re playing better… It’s just about sticking to the same plan, trying to play our game, going to the net… We knew if we kept sticking to it, the rebounds and the chances would start to come in.”
