CALGARY, Alberta – In an exciting shootout that extended into the sixth round, Justin Kirkland clinched the victory for the Calgary Flames, who edged out the Pittsburgh Penguins with a score of 4-3 on Tuesday night.
During regular play, Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson, and MacKenzie Weegar each found the back of the net for Calgary. Additionally, Andersson contributed with an assist and currently stands as the Flames’ leading scorer, totaling eight points comprised of three goals and five assists.
For Pittsburgh, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Noel Acciari scored to keep the game competitive, as the team embarked on a four-game road trip throughout Western Canada.
Calgary’s goaltender, Dustin Wolf, faced a barrage of 38 shots and improved his record to 3-0-0. He secured the win by denying Evgeni Malkin during the final shootout attempt by Pittsburgh, effectively sealing the Flames’ success. On the other side, Alex Nedeljkovic recorded 22 saves for the Penguins.
In the shootout, Rakell and Rust managed to score for Pittsburgh while Anthony Mantha, playing in his 500th NHL game, and Andersson found success for Calgary.
Some key takeaways include Pittsburgh’s slow start, as they found themselves down 7-0 in shots early in the match but later recovered to dominate shot attempts, outshooting the Flames 38-18 throughout the game.
For Calgary, the situation of Martin Pospisil is noteworthy; after receiving two penalties in the offensive zone, he was benched for the final 13 minutes of the second period. His penalty led to Rust’s power-play goal which tied the game at 1-1.
A pivotal moment came when Andersson fired a powerful slap shot from the blue line while the Flames were trailing 3-2. The shot struck Acciari and fell to the ice, where Kadri was quick to capitalize, scoring with just 43 seconds remaining in regulation and electrifying the home crowd.
Statistically, the Flames now boast a total of 11 points in their first six games, marking the best start in the franchise’s history, aside from a single overtime loss to Seattle earlier in the week.
Looking ahead, the Penguins are set to face off against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Meanwhile, the Flames will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.