Blake Coleman scored his 21st of the season into the empty net, before things got a bit ... chaotic. Markstrom tried for his own empty-net tally, but fanned on the shot, allowing Jean-Gabriel Pageau to pounce and make it a two-goal came late. The netminder could laugh about it afteward, even though the moment was "a little embarrassing," but the Flames did lock it down from that point forward and Weegar found the yawning cage with 22 seconds left to seal the deal.
"Up by three and they pull the goalie, so if there was ever a time to shoot it, it was today and it ended up in the back of (our) net, so I'll be more cautious next time," Markstrom said. "I've tried a few over the years - (but) never in the NHL. Twice in one game and neither one made it past the hashmarks. I should work on some wrist curls... or stay in the net."
Weegar, meanwhile, now has 15 snipes on the year, passing Cale Makar and Rasmus Dahlin for the league lead among defencemen. In doing so, he’s now cracked the 30-point plateau for fourth consecutive season as he chases down his career high of 44, set during 2021-22 campaign.
"I never would've thought I'd have a hat-trick in the NHL," Weegar smiled, adding that he doesn't recall scoring one at any level - ever. "Maybe Timbits, but I don't even remember. This is a new feeling.
"I'm sure everybody back home is having some fun with it and I can't wait to talk to them and see what they have to say. But it was a great night from everybody, it really was."
Huberdeau said afterward he was looking for Weegar in the dying seconds, hoping his pal would connect on the milestone marker.
"He's unbelievable," Huberdeau beamed. "It's the reward tonight, getting his first hat-trick. Head down, shoot the puck and it's going in this year. He said he doesn't look at the net, so it's good. At the end, I knew he was there, so I wanted him to get his hat-trick, for sure."
Brock Nelson spoiled Markstrom's shutout bid at 3:58 of the third, rifling a shot upstairs with 6-foot-3, 215-lb. Matt Martin planted in front to kickstart the comeback attempt. The Isles pressed hard in the third, outshooting the Flames 18-3, but Markstrom saved his best for last and was named the second star of the game for his efforts.
"Until the probably seven or eight minutes of the third period, I thought it was a pretty complete game from us again - similar to what we saw in Boston from the team," said Head Coach Ryan Huska. "We had all sorts of contributions from different people, so that was something that was important, too."
The Flames opened the scoring less than four minutes into the first when Weegar went for a skate, made a nice little move to gain the zone, then drove wide and beat Semyon Varlamov with a harmless-looking shot from the right circle.
Markstrom, meanwhile, bumped his own point total with his league-leading fourth assist of the season and 18th of his career after setting up Weegar behind his own net.
