The locals were unlucky not to be at least level after the opening frame, one that saw them earn nearly 64% of the shot attempts, and a half-dozen high-danger chances at even strength.
Zary had a golden opportunity just past the five-minute mark. He created a turnover in the offensive zone, then waited in space for the puck to come his way.
It did, and the Flames winger fired a low shot that Dallas netminder Casey DeSmith got just enough of his left pad to, to keep the score at evens.
Zary thought he’d scored later in the frame, but his tricky re-direct of a Nazem Kadri centring pass was waved off on review after it was determined Zary used his right skate to kick the puck past DeSmith, and into the net.
Later, Morgan Frost clanked a snapshot off the left post during a Flames powerplay, the puck beating DeSmith but not his best friend, the iron.
Roope Hintz’s tally stood up as the only offence of period one - the Stars centreman putting his side ahead at 7:09 - but Calgary held a 13-11 edge in shots on goal at the break.
The Flames had another goal taken off the board 5:30 into the second period. Blake Coleman found space in the right circle and after accepting a feed from Mikael Backlund, wired a puck past DeSmith’s right arm. But after a coach’s challenge, it was determined forward Joel Farabee interfered with the Dallas keeper, and the score stayed static at 1-0 in favour of the visitors.
Undaunted, the hosts kept pressing. In all, they sent 18 pucks on target and finally beat DeSmith - one that counted - at 8:12 when Kadri skated out from behind the net, spun at the bottom of the left circle, then picked the smallest of corners over DeSmith’s right shoulder, roofing his team-leading 29th goal of the season and extending his goal-scoring streak to five games.
