The Calgary Flames defeated San Jose 3-1 on Saturday night, giving the Sharks their seventh consecutive defeat thanks to two goals from Jonathan Huberdeau.
Dustin Wolf recorded 21 saves, Mikael Backlund added another goal, and Nazem Kadri contributed two assists for the Flames.
Yaroslav Askarov stopped 30 shots, and Macklin Celebrini scored San Jose’s 12th goal of the season. The Sharks are 1-9-1 over their previous 11 games and 0-6-1 during their current skid.
Backlund’s power-play goal at 6:50 of the second period gave Calgary a 2-1 lead. In his last five games, Backlund has three goals and two assists for a total of five points.
Huberdeau led the squad with 15 goals after an empty-netter in the final seconds.
Celebrini leads all rookies in goals and is tied for the lead in points (27), having scored the game-winning goal early in the second.
Takeaways
Flames: After winning its fourth straight on November 23, Calgary has now won back-to-back games for the first time in over a month.
Sharks: Attacker After absorbing a strong hit from Flames defenseman Brayden Pachal during the first period on Saturday, Carl Grundstrom exited the game with an undisclosed injury and did not come back.
Key moment
The tone for Calgary was established by Huberdeau’s early goal. At 4:40 of the first quarter, he scored his team’s 14th goal on a deflection. His goal streak now stands at three games.
Key stat
After a 6-4 victory over Chicago on December 21, Calgary had taken six days off before Saturday. The extra rest seemed to be beneficial against a tired Sharks squad that had just suffered a 6-3 loss to Vegas on Friday.
Up Next
The Sharks host Philadelphia on Tuesday, while the Flames travel to Vegas on Sunday.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.