Never. Give. Up.

Flames rally from 4-1 deficit to get point in shootout loss

By Ty Pilson

@typilson CalgaryFlames.com

November 11, 2023

Down 4-1 in the second period, the Flames got down to business.

They scored three straight but fell 5-4 in a shootout to the Maple Leafs in the Annual Hall of Fame Game Saturday night in Toronto.

Connor Zary, Nikita Zadorov, AJ Greer and Martin Pospisil scored in regulation, as Calgary has now picked up a point in three straight games.

Zary now has points in his first four NHL games, while linemate Nazem Kadri extended his point streak to five games with an assist. Pospisil's goal was his second in three games since being called up from the Wranglers.

MacKenzie Weegar picked up a helper playing in his 400th career game.

The Leafs got goals from Mitch Marner and Max Domi in the six-round shootout, while Yegor Sharangovich was the lone scorer for Calgary.

Dan Vladar was stellar in the third period, finishing with 32 saves, while Joseph Woll had 24.

Vladar got the start while Dustin Wolf – recalled from the Wranglers – was the backup.

Coach Ryan Huska said Jacob Markstrom was day-to-day when asked about his status following the morning skate.

The Flames all wore special Vernon No. 30 jerseys in warmup to honour the team's legendary netminder, Mike Vernon, who received his Hall-of-Fame ring earlier in the day in Toronto.

Vernon and the 2023 Class got a standing ovation during a pre-game, on-ice ceremony.

Vladar was called upon to make a big stop on a 2-on-1 just 20 seconds in, turning aside Tyler Bertuzzi's shot when he held on a rush with Toronto captain John Tavares.

A giveaway in the Flames zone on a penalty-kill led to William Nylander opening the scoring at the three-minute mark, grabbing the biscuit and tucking it around the outstretched pad of Vladar.

An incredible skate by Kadri led to Calgary's first tally, as the former Leaf gathered the puck in the Flames zone and skated up the ice and wide on the left wing, making a long-distance cross-ice pass to Zary, who's first shot was saved but he was able to choke up on his stick and put the rebound high shortside over Woll's shoulder with Morgan Reilly breathing down his neck at seven minutes even.

Youngster Zary scores another gem on his own rebound

But the Leafs went ahead again soon after, Calle Jarnkrok slipping a shot home 1:17 later.

Calgary got stronger as the frame went on and Zary nearly got his second on a late powerplay, beating Woll clean to the farside but the puck clanging off the post.

Later on the same advantage, Kadri looked to poke a puck home but the officials said they had blown the whistle prior to it crossing the line and Kadri was given a penalty for slashing Woll, while Leaf William Lagesson was sent for roughing for jumping Kadri after.

The Flames had trailed 5-0 in shots at one point but finished the first up 11-8 in that category.

Calgary began the second period with 1:34 left on their second powerplay of the game but 1:06 into that, Nylander scored a shorty on a 2-on-1 after a turnover just outside the Toronto blueline as the Flames tried to gain the zone.

Pospisil created his own breakaway not long after, but Woll made a blocker save on him.

Nylander was the set-up man on Toronto’s fourth goal, throwing the puck out from behind the net to Tavares as he skated into the slot and put it past Vladar at 4:45.

Just 48 seconds after, Zadorov tallied with an absolute bomb of a slapshot that Woll never saw beat him farside high, the blueliner’s first of the campaign. His first attempt – a wrister from up high – went off a body but he absolutely stepped into it on his second crack.

If at first you don't succeed, step into a lazer of a slapshot to score

Two really strong back-to-back shifts by the Flames led to Greer tipping a point blast from Weegar past Woll at 12:21 to make it a one-goal game again.

Vladar made a couple massive stops at the end of the second stanza to keep his side within one after 40 minutes.

Greer with a lovely tip of a Weegar blast

Pospisil scored at 3:22 after a great forecheck by the visitors. Weegar's point shot made it on net, Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund had cracks on it before Pospisil made good.

Sharangovich hit the crossbar less than a minute later.

Pospisil scored his second in three games

Vladar's best stop of the frame came when Tavares split the D to walk in but he stoned him in tight.

He made 12 saves in the third, as Calgary was outshoot 12-3 in the third.