Horse Power

Flames score 3-2 victory over Rangers for third straight triumph

By Chris Wahl

@wahlsy CalgaryFlames.com

November 22, 2024

They brought the boom.

That's what they do.

Connor Zary broke a 2-2 deadlock midway through the third period, scoring the decider in a 3-2 Flames win over the Rangers that featured shots, shots and more shots.

Calgary fired a season-high 49 pucks on goal, 20 in the first period alone to improve to 3-0-0 on their current four-game homestand.

Matt Coronato and Yegor Sharangovich also scored for the locals, while Dustin Wolf continued to shine in goal, improving his season record to 8-2-1.

It was a memorable milestone evening for a pair of Calgary skaters, too. Jonathan Huberdeau earned his 500th career assist on the game-winner, while Sharangovich appeared in his 300th NHL game.

See all the highlights as Flames threw everything but the kitchen sink on the Rangers net in 3-2 victory

To put it simply, the ice was tilted in favour of the home team in period one.

Calgary fired 20 shots at Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin, enjoying shift after shift in the offensive zone with dogged forechecking.

Just past the seven-minute mark, that hard work paid off. Sharangovich stepped in over the New York blue line, dropped the puck back to Coronato, who waited, picked his spot, then with pinpoint accuracy, picked the top corner over Shesterkin’s left shoulder with a picture-perfect snapshot from the left circle.

Coronato draws first blood with an absolute snipe

Zary had a couple of opportunities to extend the lead minutes later, forcing Shesterkin into a tricky left pad save on a low backhand from the slot. He froze the Ranger netminder on his next shift, accepting a pass from Blake Coleman in the left circle, but his wrist shot clanked off the post and skittered away to safety.

Then, with just under four minutes to play, Andrei Kuzmenko found himself in alone on goal after being set free on a quick pass from Nazem Kadri. Kuzmenko skated right down Broadway, faking backhand before releasing a quick forehand shot from just outside the blue paint, but Shesterkin was equal to the task, flashing the leather and getting just enough of the disk to redirect it out of play.

The pressure continued into the second frame, as Calgary fired 11 more shots on goal through the first six minutes of the period, but the first big flurry of action originated in the defensive zone. Rangers sniper Artemi Panarin dished a hard, cross-ice pass across the zone to linemate Alexis Lafreniere, who fired a one-timer on goal, only to be denied by a sliding Wolf, who zipped across his crease to deliver a highlight-reel stop.

Wolf makes an incredible save to keep the Flames in front

Moments later, the play went the other way, as Martin Pospisil broke in on goal after taking an Andrei Kuzmenko entry pass. He patiently darted across the crease, but could not tuck the puck around Shesterkin’s left pad.

He did draw a penalty, though, and at 8:29, the Flames extended their lead thanks to Sharangovich, who marked his 300th NHL contest with a one-timer blast from the right circle that zipped into the top corner, stick side on Shesterkin.

In his 300th career game, Sharky lets one fly

Calgary continued to generate chances, both Huberdeau and Backlund were robbed by Shesterkin before the period was through.

And those saves paid off for the visitors, who got goals from Lafreniere and Will Cuylle within a 16-second span late in the frame to even proceedings at 2-2 through 40 minutes of play.

Calgary held a 37-19 shot advantage after the second period.

The visitors continued pressing as the third period got underway, thanks in part to their first powerplay opportunity of the evening.

After a successful Flames kill, Wolf made a series of saves of Sam Carrick from in tight, then got help from Rasmus Andersson, who fearlessly knelt into a Panarin one-timer, saving a high-danger scoring chance in the process.

From there, it was Zary's turn to play game-breaker.

After grabbing the puck in neutral ice, Zary strode down the left side, then drove the net, outmuscling Rangers forward Kappo Kaako as he worked his way goalward.

Then, from a razor-sharp angle, he lifted the puck into a postage stamp-sized opening over Shesterkin's right shoulder, off the crossbar and in, sending the Scotiabank Saddledome into a frenzy with his fourth goal of the campaign.

Zary picks the corner to put the Flames in front

Wolf held the fort the rest of the way, finishing the evening with 27 stops after turning aside all 10 shots he faced in period three.

Weegar finished the game with three assists, and led the Flames with seven shots on goal.

Coronato and Sharangovich each had a goal and a helper.