CALGARY — Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 200th NHL goal, and the Calgary Flames hung on for a 6-5 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday.
Elias Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and two assists, and Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves for the Flames (7-6-2), who have won two in a row after a seven-game skid (0-5-2).
“We found a way to win,” Toffoli said. “I don’t think it’s the way we wanted it to happen, but at the end of the day we’ll take the two points. Division rival, really good team playing really good hockey. It was a really good test for us tonight.” “
Video: LAK@CGY: Mangiapane scores in 1st period
Arthur Kaliyev scored two goals, Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Jonathan Quick made 23 saves for the Kings (10-7-1), who had won four in a row.
“We played some pretty shoddy hockey today,” Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. “To me, I think that the physical part of the game was potentially there early, but the mental part didn’t exist at all. And then you get a little desperate. It starts going your way, but it’s too little too late. “
Video: LAK@CGY: Ruzicka jams home loose puck in tight
Huberdeau, who was playing his first game after missing three because of an upper-body injury, put Calgary up 1-0 at 3:49 of the first period when he converted on a centering pass from below the goal line. Rasmus Andersson. The goal was his first in six games dating to Oct. 25.
“To get a goal, it’s been a while,” Huberdeau said. “It’s a good team win. That’s all that matters.”
Kaliyev tied it 1-1 at 4:53 on a power play when he one-timed a seam pass by Viktor Arvidsson from the right face-off circle, and then put the Kings up 2-1 at 6:11 when he scored on a spinning shot from the goal line.
Andrew Mangiapane tied it 2-2 at 10:55 to end a 10-game goal drought, and Brett Ritchie gave the Flames a 3-2 lead at 11:37 when he tapped in a return pass Blake Coleman past Quick’s outstretched left pad.
Toffoli one-timed a pass from Lindholm on a 2-on-1 for a 4-2 lead at 16:25.
“We need everybody going, rolling four lines and three sets of [defense],” Toffoli said. “When we play that way, we kind of come in waves. That’s how we’re kind of built and how we’re successful. We’re on the right path. We didn’t complete the game, something for us to work on, but we’ll take the two points.”
Video: LAK@CGY: Huberdeau regains the puck for the 200th goal
Lindholm made it 5-2 when he chipped a shot over Quick on a power play 1:51 into the second period.
Fiala pulled a wide rebound off the end boards and tucked it over Markstrom to cut it to 5-3 at 14:26.
Adam Ruzicka pushed the lead to 6-3 by banging in a rebound off Lindholm’s initial chance at 16:36.
“I think we played one of our worst games defensively,” the Los Angeles forward said Phillip Danault said. “We gave up too many rushes. We did that to ourselves. We lost the game in the first period. We weren’t sharp enough mentally.”
Video: LAK@CGY: Ritchie puts home a return pass to take the lead
Kopitar pulled Los Angeles to within 6-4 when he shot past Markstrom’s blocker at 8:57 of the third period, and with Quick pulled for an extra attacker during a 4-on-4, Adrian Kempe scored on a one-timer that went off Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to make it 6-5 at 18:41.
Markstrom stopped Kopitar on the doorstep with 21.8 seconds remaining.
“We didn’t roll over. We didn’t quit,” McLellan said. “The fact that we were in that situation was pretty unique. We were a shot away from at least getting a point on that night. The goaltender made a real good save. But I don’t think we should lose sight of how this game evolved just because we fought back and made it 6-5. There’s a lot of things we have to fix.”
NOTES: Fiala extended his goal streak to three games (three goals). His goal was his 300th NHL point, making him the fifth Swiss-born player to reach the mark. … …Kings forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan, who is from Calgary, had three hits in 10:55 of ice time after being a healthy scratch for eight games. … Calgary forward Nazem Kadri had two assists to reach 300 in the NHL. … Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov played his 500th NHL game.
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