Calgary has been waiting for Jonathan Huberdeau to start scoring points the same way he did a season ago.
Maybe a winning goal will be what Huberdeau and the Flames needed.
Huberdeau broke a tie with eight minutes left in the third period with his seventh goal of the season and Calgary beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Wednesday night.
“We all know what he’s capable of and we all know his numbers from last year and all that kind of stuff,” Calgary defenceman Rasmus Andersson said. “The goal today probably means a lot to him.”
Huberdeau found himself unmarked in the slot in front of goalie Philipp Grubauer after Andersson’s shot from the point was deflected. Huberdeau was denied by Grubauer in a similar circumstance in the opening moments of the third period, but this time beat the goalie to the stick side.
The Flames bounced back after losing 2-1 at home to Edmonton on Tuesday.
Tyler Toffoli scored his 15th of the season in the first period and Nazem Kadri scored on the power play in the second period for the Flames. Elias Lindholm had two assists and Kadri added an assist to go along with his 14th goal.
Dan Vladar made 30 saves for Calgary, including a few chances in the closing seconds after Seattle pulled Grubauer. Calgary improved to 7-3-2 against Pacific Division opponents this season.
“He did exactly what your backup guy is supposed to do on a back-to-back,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said.
Ryan Donato scored late in the first period to pull Seattle even and Jamie Oleksiak connected 1:15 into the second period to give the Kraken a 2-1 lead. Grubauer was terrific stopping a number of high-quality chances for the Flames, and his 41 saves were the most he’s made in his two seasons with the Kraken.
Donato’s goal was the fifth time in the last six games he’s scored. Donato had a four-game goal streak snapped in Seattle’s overtime loss in Vancouver in its final game before the Christmas break, but picked up where he left off.
Jordan Eberle assisted on both Seattle goals.
“I thought the second half (of the game) we didn’t generate enough zone time,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “To be able to get in the zone and then be able to hold possession and do some work in the offensive zone and create some opportunities, we didn’t get enough of that in the second half.”
BACK-TO-BACK
Calgary played its third back-to-back in the month of December and fourth for the season. Seattle has played just one back-to-back and that came in games Nos. 1 and 2 back in October. But the Kraken will make up for it with seven the rest of the season.
NOTES
Calgary D Michael Stone was scratched after playing 12:08 against Edmonton on Tuesday. Stone had appeared in 16 straight games. ? Calgary D Dennis Gilbert was activated from injured reserve Wednesday, but was scratched from the lineup. Gilbert has appeared in just one game since Nov. 25.
UP NEXT
Flames: Hosts Vancouver on Saturday night.
Kraken: Host Edmonton on Friday night.