CALGARY – On the same day the Flames substituted a defenseman, they scored three more goals in Calgary’s 4-3 overtime win over the visitors Dallas Stars on Thursday.
Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev And MacKenzie Weegar scored points in regulation and in the center Nazem Kadri scored the OT winner for Calgary (10-10-3), which improved to 6-3-1 in its last 10 games and went 8-4-2 in November.
“The team is bonding, we’re coming together, we’re playing really good hockey right now, we’re not giving up and we’re playing against really good teams,” Hanifin said. “It’s great to see and I just have to keep going into December.”
Calgary Jonathan Huberdeau assisted on two goals in front of an announced crowd of 16,941 at the Saddledome. goalkeeper Jacob Markstrom prepared Kadri’s winning goal and made 13 saves for the victory.
Masonic march scored two goals for the Stars, including one from a penalty (13-5-3). Thomas Harley also scored for Dallas. Star starter Scott Wedgewood stopped 32 shots in the loss.
Just three hours before puck drop on Thursday, the Flames announced the defenseman’s trade Nikita Zadorov for the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round draft choice in 2026 and a fifth-round draft pick in 2024.
The 6-foot-2 Russian confirmed on Nov. 11 that he wanted a trade after his agent expressed doubts about Zadorov’s long-term future in Calgary and expressed concern about his client’s ice time in a social media post.
Calgary’s players were greeted with the trade news when they arrived Thursday.
“It could have easily been a big distraction, but we were able to focus on what we needed to do tonight,” Tanev said.
After losing their first three games of the season and ending in a shootout, the Flames went on to win overtime in their first three games, including two wins this week.
Weegar scored the winning goal in Monday’s 2-1 decision over the Vegas Golden Knights. The defender caused a stir again on Thursday by scoring the equalizer with 2:41 left in regulation time.
What would have been Mikael BacklundDallas’ equalizer was contested and thwarted by a hand pass with 5:01 left.
Dallas led 3-2 at 1:49 of the third period on a Marchment penalty. Tanev ripped the striker down the middle with a breakaway.
“I just felt like our bench felt like we were coming back to win tonight,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said. “I had this feeling all night long. That was really it. When the penalty goal was scored, there was no slack.”
“They had the feeling tonight that they were going to win the game and you could see that after situations where they gave something up. They came back with a good shift.”
Huberdeau’s pass deflected off Kadri and drove the goal into the net at 1:01 OT. The players went to the locker room while the goal was checked for goalkeeper interference and confirmed.
Tanev, who blocked a shot with his face and ended Monday’s game, was ahead by one Sam Steel shot from close range in the second period and also scored his first goal of the season.
“He is one of the best teammates, if not the best, I have ever played with in my career,” Hanifin said. “Just an absolute warrior.”
The Stars took three points out of four from a two-game away stretch.
“Three out of four on this trip, it’s going to take you all day,” Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said.
“With those momentum shifts, I wish we had played with a little more pressure when we were in the lead. We’re at the end of a road trip here and we’ve held back a little too much and also given them a little more space. I still thought we could have closed it.
BACK END BONANZA
With 40 points between them, Calgary defensemen Weegar, Hanifin, Tanev and Rasmus Andersson have contributed significantly to Calgary’s attack, as no forward has been on the scoresheet so far this season.
“Huge, huge,” Kadri said. “We like to bring our D with us. This is part of our offensive. We know we can score, we know we can get on the field, including these guys, and they have good skills. This is what happens when you shoot the puck.”
NEXT
On Saturday, Zadorov is expected to make his Canucks debut at the Saddledome when the Flames host Vancouver while Dallas plays at home against Tampa Bay.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
