Kris Versteeg scored the lone goal of the shootout in the seventh round of the tiebreaker to give the Calgary Flames a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night and just their second victory this season.
Versteeg, a former Blackhawk, faked Corey Crawford and connected on a wrist shot.
Sam Bennett and Sean Monahan scored in regulation for Calgary, which snapped a two-game losing streak.
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Patrick Kane and Brian Campbell connected in regulation for Chicago.
Campbell’s goal, his first with the Blackhawks since rejoining them as a free agent in the off-season, tied it 2-all at 4:12 of the third. Campbell’s feed from the right circle, intended for Artem Anisimov, deflected in off Calgary defenceman T.J. Brodie.
Brian Elliott made 31 saves through overtime and blocked all seven in the shootout to earn his first win with Calgary after three losses.
Acquired from St. Louis in June, Elliott had allowed 14 goals in his first three starts for the Flames.
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Crawford blocked 29 shots through overtime and made several close in saves early to keep it close.
The Blackhawks’ sputtering penalty killers permitted two power-play goals in five chances to the Flames, who entered the game having scored just once in 25 opportunities with the man advantage. Chicago has allowed 14 goals in 26 short-handed situations this season and at least one power-play goal in each of its seven games.
Bennett knocked in Calgary’s second power-play goal of the season at 4:51 of the first period. He converted a rebound of Dougie Hamilton’s shot from the right circle after outmuscling Chicago defenders to the loose puck.
Kane tied it at 1 at 1:32 of the second period with a rising shot from the right circle over Elliott’s glove.
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Monahan converted the Flames’ second power-play chance at 6:52 of the second to put Calgary back ahead 2-1.
The Blackhawks killed three straight Flames’ power plays later in the period.
Elliott stopped Richard Panik point blank with 2:45 remaining, then again in the final seconds with a toe save.
Buoyed by a power play of their own, the Blackhawks dominated the overtime and outshot the Flames 6-1.
NOTES: Chicago rookie D Gustav Forsling suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period and didn’t return. . Veteran Blackhawks D Michal Rozsival made his season debut after sitting out Chicago’s first six games as a healthy scratch. First-year D Michal Kempny was a scratch for the first time. . Chicago rookie F Vincent Hinostroza was scratched for a third straight game. … Calgary rookie F Matthew Tkachuk, son of former NHL standout F Keith Tkachuk, was scratched for the second straight contest.
UP NEXT:
Flames: play the second of a back-to-back at St. Louis on Tuesday.
Blackhawks: play at New Jersey on Friday.
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