Flames halt 4-game skid, cool off red-hot Penguins
Matt Coronato scored to break a third-period tie and sparked the visiting Calgary Flames to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Connor Zary also tallied for the Flames, who snapped a four-game skid.
Goaltender Devin Cooley delivered a sparkling 27-save performance while making his first start since Dec. 20, especially in the third period when he stopped all 12 shots he faced.
Egor Chinakhov scored for the Penguins, who saw their six-game winning streak snapped.
Goalie Arturs Silovs stopped 23 shots in an exciting goaltending duel.
Coronato broke the deadlock 42 seconds into the final frame of the feisty clash. Upon receiving a drop pass from Rasmus Andersson during the rush, he worked to the slot and ripped a shot home for his first goal in 10 games.
While Cooley delivered several stops to keep Calgary ahead, Silovs made a series of scintillating saves to keep the hosts within one shot of tying the clash. The Penguins could not find the clutch marker, even with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker the final couple of minutes to generate a flurry of opportunities.
The Penguins thought they had tied the game in the middle of the third period but it was immediately waived off due to goaltender interference.
Zary gave the flickering Flames a much-needed early boost when he opened the scoring at 2:33 of the opening period. Zary intercepted a pass at his own blueline to create a breakaway chance and buried the shot for his fourth goal in seven outings.
Chinakhov tied the clash just before the midway point of the second with his second tally since being traded to the Penguins from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the end of December. He buried a one-timer set up by Evgeni Malkin during a 2-on-1 rush.
Pittsburgh was without forward Bryan Rust due to a lower-body injury. Rust, second on the team with 16 goals, is listed as day-to-day. Calgary forward Blake Coleman, whose 13 goals lead the club, missed the game due to an upper-body injury suffered last game.