The Calgary Flames rallied from 1-0 deficit with a goal from Matthew Tkachuk in the third period in Glendale and Michael Frolik scored with 49 seconds gone in overtime to send the Flames past the Arizona Coyotes, 2-1.
Tobias Rieder scored for Arizona who could not hold the lead and fell to 5-10-0 on the season.
“It’s just the little things … doing the little things right, pushing the game along,” Rieder said. “I think we’re a good team, but right now we’re just losing too many battles and making too many little mistakes.”
His goal came as time was winding down in the middle frame.
Mike Smith made 22 save in the loss.
“I think he’s one of the best goalies in the League,” Rieder said. “He showed today what he can do. He can win games for us, but we just can’t let him hang out to dry.”
Tkachuk’s goal bounced on Smith and he was unable to handle the shot from a bad angle.
“It was an unfortunate bounce there off the helmet and in,” Smith said. “It could’ve been a 1-0 game and we’re feeling a lot different coming into the locker room tonight. That’s on me, that one.”
Chad Johnson made 20 saves for the Calgary win.
“In this league, no matter who’s in the lineup, you have to find ways to win. It takes the six guys on the ice to really get the job done,” Johnson said. “I think to the outside world, all the focus is on the [Johnny] Gaudreau (type) players, but on the ice it takes more than the one guy to get things done. It takes his linemates and everything else. When you miss him, you have to find ways to win.”
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