CALGARY – Johnny Gaudreau is red-hot on home ice. The Calgary Flames are too.
Gaudreau’s second hat trick of the season helped Calgary to a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, tying a franchise record with their 10th straight victory at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Nursing a 2-1 lead, Gaudreau scored a key goal at 15:41 of the third period. After having the puck taken away from him on a potential breakaway by Mark Scheifele, the 22-year-old stole it right back and put a high shot past Michael Hutchinson from close in.
Less than three minutes later, Gaudreau scored an empty-net goal to seal the hat trick and the win, which comes after back-to-back road losses for the Flames.
“Tonight was a huge game, coming off two losses there on the road where we could have easily maybe won a couple of those games,” said Gaudreau, who has 20 points (13 goals, seven assists) during the home winning streak.
Included in the sell-out crowd was Gaudreau’s younger brother Matt, who plays hockey at Boston College. The brothers fly home to New Jersey on Wednesday.
“Guys are really excited to head back home and see their families,” Gaudreau said. “You could see how well we played tonight. It was a great effort from the whole team.”
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Gaudreau leads the Flames in goals (15) and points (37).
“I enjoy coaching him so much because not only is he skilled and a great scorer but he’s a competitor,” said Flames coach Bob Hartley. “Second, third, fourth effort , it doesn’t bother him. He gets on the ice, he’s on a mission out there.”
Joe Colborne also scored for Calgary (16-16-2). The Flames, who have won eight of their last 10, continue their four-game homestand on Sunday against Edmonton.
Tyler Myers scored for Winnipeg (15-17-2), which has lost five straight on the road.
“It’s frustrating, especially coming off a game last night where we played so well and we weren’t able to get two points. It made this game all that more important,” said Hutchinson. “It’s a little bit frustrating that we come away empty-handed.”
Winnipeg had some great chances to tie the game early in the third.
On a two-on-one, Flames defenceman T.J. Brodie cleared a Drew Stafford shot off the goal line. Shortly after, Karri Ramo made back-to-back sharp saves off Mathieu Perreault and Andrew Ladd on a deflection.
“It’s frustrating, for sure,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. “We had a couple breaks you’d like to have around the net, something to squeak in there at 2-1. It didn’t happen and that’s what happens.”
Maurice says the three-day holiday break will do his team — and himself — some good.
“This team needs some rest,” he said. “The coach has been in a bad mood for a long time. We need some rest and some separation.”
Gaudreau opened the scoring on a power play at 4:28, with the puck deflecting off Toby Enstrom. Calgary made it 2-0 on Colborne’s deflection of Mark Giordano’s point shot six minutes later.
Myers finished off a 3-on-1 to get Winnipeg within one with five seconds left in the first but that would be the only shot to beat Ramo, who has started 20 of Calgary’s last 23 games. Ramo had 19 stops for the sixth win in his last eight starts.
Hutchinson made 29 saves for the Jets.
Notes: The only other time the Flames won 10 straight at home was Nov. 7 to Dec. 12, 2006. … Calgary LW Lance Bouma (broken leg) returned after missing 30 games. … Gaudreau’s first goal was his 100th NHL point. He reaches the milestone in 115 games, tying Al MacInnis for the sixth fastest in franchise history. Kent Nilsson did it the fastest (85 games). … Calgary’s last loss on home ice was Oct. 30 against Montreal.
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