Markstrom makes 37 saves as Flames down Devils 5-3 for their third straight victory
By Allan Kreda, The Associated Press on February 8, 2024.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – Jacob Markstrom made 37 saves, Connor Zary and Andrew Mangiapane each had a goal and an assist and the Calgary Flames defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Thursday night for their third straight win. Mikael Backlund, Kevin Rooney, Andrei Kuzmenko and Andrew Mangiapane also scored for Calgary, which was coming off a 4-1 win at Boston on Tuesday to start a four-game trip that includes facing the three New York/New Jersey-area teams. Defenseman Noah Hanifan had two assists for the Flames, whose winning streak comes after a four-game skid. Ondrej Palat scored twice, Nico Hischier also had a goal and Jesper Bratt had three assists for New Jersey, which was coming off a 5-3 win at home over Colorado on Tuesday. Palat opened the scoring at 15:39 of the first, completing a 2-on-1 break with Bratt. Hischier also assisted. Backlund, the Flames’ captain, then tied it with his 11th goal at 18:10 of the first. Zary put Calgary ahead at 3:53 of the second, nudging a loose puck in the crease past Vitek Vanecek. Rooney made it 3-1 at 2:55 of the third with his first of the season. Hischier narrowed the deficit to one goal with a short-handed breakaway score at 4:02 of the third, his 14th goal of the season. Kuzmenko restored the Flames’ two-goal lead at 9:56 of the third with his 10th goal, and second in two games since joining Calgary in a trade from Vancouver. Palat scored his second of the game and eighth of the season at 13:48 of the third, and Mangiapane added an empty-net goal to cap the scoring at 18:26. JACK IS BACK Devils center Jack Hughes returned to the lineup after missing 11 games with an upper-body injury sustained Jan. 5 in a home win over Chicago. He had four shots on goal. NOTES: Flames F Jonathan Huberdeau played his 800th career game. The 30-year-old Huberbeau was the third overall pick in 2011 by Florida. He was acquired in a trade with the Panthers in July 2022. … Former Devil Yegor Sharangovich played as a visitor in New Jersey for the first time. The 25-year-old forward skated three seasons with the Devils before his trade to Calgary last June in a deal that sent Tyler Toffoli to New Jersey. Sharangovich acknowledged the home crowd after a tribute moment during the first period. … New Jersey won this season’s first meeting 4-2 in Calgary on Dec. 9. UP NEXT Devils: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night. Flames: At the New York Islanders on Saturday. – AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl 20-19
