Flames win seven-round shootout against Blackhawks

CHICAGO -- It took a couple of guys who know their way around United Center for the Calgary Flames to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in a shootout on Monday.
Kris Versteeg scored in the seventh round and goalie Brian Elliott didn't allow a shootout goal to help the Flames (2-4-1) avoid a three-game losing streak.

Versteeg, a former Blackhawks forward, deked Chicago goalie Corey Crawford to the ice and tucked the puck past his left pad after a combined 13 failed attempts. It rewarded Elliott, who led the St. Louis Blues past the Blackhawks last season in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"Anytime you know a guy's tendencies, it just helps you," said Elliott, who made 31 saves after entering the game with a 4.72 goals-against average. "But they know ours just as much as we know theirs. It's kind of a battle between that and [Versteeg] coming up big."
Elliott's biggest save was at the end of regulation. He denied Blackhawks forward Richard Panik with a sprawling skate save to force overtime. Elliott then helped the Flames kill a penalty in overtime, making six saves.

Patrick Kane and Brian Campbell scored for the Blackhawks (3-3-1). Crawford made 29 saves.
Sam Bennett and Sean Monahan had goals for Calgary, which took a 1-0 lead at 4:51 of the first period on Bennett's goal.

It was the second power-play goal of the season for the Flames, who were 1-for-25 in their first six games and ranked 30th in the NHL. It was the 13th goal allowed in 22 times shorthanded for the Blackhawks, who went 3-for-5 on penalty kills and are 30th in the League.

After Kane tied it at 1:32 of the second period with a one-timer, Monahan gave the Flames a 2-1 lead at 6:52 on another power play.
Calgary got three more power plays in the second but couldn't capitalize, including a four-minute man-advantage with 5:14 left after Tyler Motte was called for a high-sticking double minor.
"It just seems no matter what, it finds a way, a different way, every time," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We had a couple big kills in the second period, and that was positive. We built off it, had a good third period and found a way to get a point. Could've had two."

Campbell tied it 2-2 at 4:12 of the third with his first goal of the season.

Goal of the game

Versteeg showed patience on his goal in the shootout, waiting for Crawford to drop to the ice and pulling the puck back to his right to tuck it around the left pad.
"We've known each other for 11 years," said Versteeg, who played with Crawford in the minor leagues and with the Blackhawks. "He kind of knows everything. I just kind of blacked out, I don't really know what I was doing. I guess it worked."

Save of the game

Panik nearly pushed his goal total for the season to seven with time running out in regulation. He got to the rebound of a shot by Marian Hossa and sent a quick wrist shot toward the net. Elliott sprawled to make a skate save just before time expired.
"It was just a rebound right to him in the slot and I just tried to throw the furniture at it and got a piece of it with my skate," Elliott said.

Unsung moment of the game

Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook made a nice play at the blue line prior to Campbell's goal in the third period. He held the puck in the offensive zone and got it to Kane for the pass to Campbell.

Highlight of the game

The Blackhawks made Flames defenseman Deryk Engelland pay for a turnover early in the second period. He sent the puck off the half wall, but it bounced out to Chicago center Artem Anisimov in the left faceoff circle. Anisimov sent it to Kane for a one-timer that eluded Elliott's outstretched glove.

They said it

"A lot of emotions. It's very special to me. Some of my best friends in the game of hockey are from here. I was laughing after I got booed, right when I was about to go. It was pretty funny. These fans have been nothing but amazing to me, and I thank them for everything. It was real fun." -- Flames forward Kris Versteeg
"Everyone talks about growing pains or the young guys settling in, all that. I think it's across the board. There's no separation in our team. There's no veterans and young guys. I think everyone has to be better." -- Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews

Need to know

Blackhawks rookie defenseman Gustav Forsling left the game after taking a hit along the boards in the neutral zone by Flames center Lance Bouma. Forsling didn't return and is day-to-day because of an upper-body injury.

What's next

Flames:At the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; SNF, FS-MW,
NHL.TV
).
Blackhawks: At the New Jersey Devils on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; WGN, MSG+,
NHL.TV
).