Flames rally, top Penguins in shootout to extend point streak to 6

CALGARY -- Justin Kirkland scored the deciding goal in the sixth round of the shootout, and the Calgary Flames rallied for a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday.

Kirkland dragged the puck into the slot and beat goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic glove side with a wrist shot.

"I was a little bit [surprised]," said Kirkland, 28, who was recalled from the American Hockey League on Oct. 11 and has played 13 career NHL games. "There's some serious high-end skill in this room. I really wasn't expecting it. I've had that move for a little while and it's worked before. It was the most nervous I've ever been. Just unbelievable.

"It was exciting. I knew I had a job to do and that was to go out and try to score, and I'm happy that it went in. [Dustin Wolf] made a big save on the next one. All in all, a fantastic night. Absolutely living the dream."

Calgary got to the shootout after Nazem Kadri tied it 3-3 at 19:17 of the third period with Wolf on the bench for the extra attacker.

"It just finds [Kadri] right there and he just throws a puck on net," Nedeljkovic said. "I've got to do a better job of staying on pucks and just bailing us out there. I mean, it wasn't a very difficult shot. It wasn't a very hard shot or a very well-placed shot. It was just a puck on a net, so not much else to it than that."

Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist, MacKenzie Weegar scored, and Wolf made 35 saves for the Flames (5-0-1), whose six-game point streak to open the season is the second-longest in franchise history.

"You've got to bend not break, so to speak," Kadri said. "That's what we did. They're a good team with a high-octane offense and some guys that can hurt you in a shift or one play. It seems like you keep them off the board most of the game, and they make one incredible play and all of a sudden you're chasing. We fought together, we stuck together, and it feels good."

Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell scored, and Nedeljkovic made 22 saves for the Penguins (3-4-1), who have lost three in a row.

"Obviously, there's always room to get better, but I think we were a heck of a lot better than we have been in recent games," Rust said. "We didn't have huge, massive breakdowns like we did in the last three or four games or whatever it was. I think that we're definitely making strides, and obviously we'd like to hold that lead there in the third."

Andersson put Calgary ahead 1-0 at 11:48 of the first period. Kirkland fanned on his pass through the slot, but Andersson picked up the loose puck and scored over Nedeljkovic's glove.

Rust tied it 1-1 at 6:31 of the second period with a power-play goal, beating Wolf glove slide on a wrist shot from the slot off a centering pass from Sidney Crosby.

Rakell put Pittsburgh up 2-1 at 2:32 of the third period. He threw a puck toward the net from below the goal line that deflected off the inside of Wolf’s pad and into the net.

Weegar tied it 2-2 at 7:46 with a slap shot from the point that beat Nedeljkovic up high.

Noel Acciari put the Penguins back in front 3-2 at 13:40 when he chipped a rebound over Wolf's glove for his first goal of the season.

NOTES: Weegar has 23 goals since the start of the 2023-24 season, which is tied with Roman Josi and Cale Makar for the most by an NHL defenseman in that span. ... Penguins forward Lars Eller had a four-game point streak end (four goals, two assists).