Flames get 3 goals in 1st period, defeat Islanders

CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames scored three times in the first period in a 4-1 win against the New York Islanders at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.

Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves for the Flames (19-14-7), who have won three of their past four and six of nine (6-2-1) after losing five straight.
"We're climbing up in the standings," Coleman said. "We're scratching and clawing to keep moving up here. You've got to win home games. You've got to have a good home record to put yourself in a good position down the stretch. Just another one to check off."
Zach Parise scored, and Semyon Varlamov made 17 saves for the Islanders (22-17-2), who lost the second of a back to back following a 4-2 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and the third of a four-game road trip (1-3-0).
New York played without forward Mathew Barzal, who participated in warmups but is day to day with a lower-body injury. It was Varlamov's first start since Dec. 17 following a lower-body injury.
"I think right now there's not much we can do about tonight," Islanders forward Josh Bailey said. "There [were] some good things. Obviously, not the result we're looking for, go back home.
"We'll reset here and then we've got a little homestand, and we want to make the most of that. Get some rest here the next couple days, first and foremost."

Milan Lucic gave Calgary a 1-0 lead at 4:36 of the first period on its first shot, a one-timer on a cross-slot feed from Jonathan Huberdeau over Varlamov's glove.
Coleman made it 2-0 at 6:05 when he tucked in his own rebound from a sharp angle.
Nikita Zadorov extended the lead to 3-0 at 14:41 after one-timing a shot from the point over Varlamov's glove.
"It was a good start for the group, I thought," Coleman said. "Six shots in the first isn't ideal, but capitalized on our opportunities, which has been a bit of a miss for us in some of these games. Good to get rewarded on a few chances. Obviously, that gave us the start we needed."
Parise cut it to 3-1 at 19:00, puck-handling around Zadorov before firing a shot top-corner over Markstrom's glove.
"I don't think by any means we felt like we were getting outplayed," Parise said. "We had our looks in the second, couple breakaways, couple chances in the slot. Had some chances in the third again, didn't convert.
"I don't think as a whole we played that bad of a game. I think we played hard, we competed. We need the result, but we didn't get it."
Markstrom made a pad save on Casey Cizikas on a breakaway at 10:05 of the second period, eight seconds after his hooking minor expired, and a stick save on Jean-Gabriel Pageau's short-handed break at 10:46.
"It was huge because I think at that point, especially first and second breakaway, I don't think we were having a very good period at the time and he kept it a two-goal lead going into the third," Lucic said. "It's good to see him finding confidence in his game as well, and we need him to be good every night to give us a chance to win."

Kadri gave the Flames a 4-1 lead at 6:59 of the third period on a sharp-angle shot from just above the goal line that glanced off Varlamov's mask and in.
"I did not call bank, but that's where I was shooting it," Kadri said. "Luckily it went in. Big goal for us."
NOTES: Kadri, who was selected Thursday to represent the Pacific Division in the
2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game
on Feb. 4, is one of four players since 1993-94 with 15 or more goals through his first 40 games with the Flames, joining Elias Lindholm (18 in 2018-19), Michael Cammalleri (15 in 2008-09) and German Titov (17 in 1993-94). ... Islanders forward Brock Nelson was selected to represent the Metropolitan Division at the All-Star Game. ... Barzal scored six goals in a five-game goal streak before being a late scratch. ...Varlamov returned after missing eight games.