Canucks continue road success with win in Calgary

In a season of ups and downs, the Calgary Flames hosted the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night and lost, 4-3, on penalties.

The Canucks grabbed the radioactive 2-0 lad in the match, went down 3-2, and eventually forced extra time.

It all seemed so 2022-23.

Spencer Martin made 35 saves for the Canucks in the win.

“It’s never too early to start battling for important division points,” Martin said. “We want to be in the playoffs, obviously. They were, I think, four points ahead of us, and that’s a really big time to come up with two points.”

Bo Horvat and Connor Garland hit for goals in the first period to get the 2-0 lead.

“I think a lot of our problems in the past have been we try to make too many cute plays, especially early,” Horvat said. “Tonight we kept it simple, and there was the result there.”

Vancouver climbed back to .500 hockey at 13-13-3.

The road has been kind to Vancouver where they have won six straight and four of their last five matches overall.

Nils Hoglander had two assists on the night for the Canucks.

“To me, that was his most complete game of the year,” Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Energetic-wise, he was hitting, he was skating, he was creating. I thought he did a really good job.”

The Flames have lost four straight.

“You’ve just got to keep your chin up,” Calgary forward Nazem Kadri said. “It’s a long season, and getting down on yourself or thinking you’re better than you are is, both sides of the spectrum can be dangerous. With some experience you learn that, and I think we’ve got the right attitude in here.”

Calgary dropped to 13-11-6.

The Flames rallied back in the first period to tie the game, 2-2.

Mikael Backlund scored off the power play to cut the lead in half, and Andrew Mangiapane tied it at 16:09 of the first.

“It’s good to tie the period after the first, but just too much back and forth tonight,” Calgary’s Dillon Dube said.

“It’s a tough league to score in, for sure. We’re throwing a lot of shots at him, and it’s getting those second and third opportunities to bear down on is what’s really, really important for our group right now.”

Trevor Lewis put the Flames up, 3-2, at 3:51 of the middle frame.

Less than two minutes later, Vancouver’s Sheldon Dries knotted the 3-3.

“I was proud of the way we played tonight,” Horvat said. “It’s a tough building to come into, and they’ve got a good team over there. Obviously, I would’ve liked to not give up a two-goal lead, but at the same time, we didn’t panic. In previous games or earlier in the year, we might’ve had a little panic in our game.”