Flames shut out Canucks, win on Gaudreau OT goal

CALGARY-- Johnny Gaudreau scored 29 seconds into overtime to give the Calgary Flames a 1-0 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday.

Gaudreau slapped a shot blocker side past Thatcher Demko from the high slot after taking a return pass from Elias Lindholm.
"I don't know who it was tried to beat us 1-on-3 there, lost the puck in the middle. I sent it up to 'Lindy,' he gained the zone and sent it back to me and I just put it low blocker," Gaudreau said.
Jacob Markstrom made 15 saves for the Flames (21-13-6), who have won three of their past four and four of six since a season-long four-game losing streak. Markstrom has two shutouts in his past three games and an NHL-high seven on the season.
"It's always good, especially when you're on this side, when you feel your team's playing really good and we had chances and Demko played a great game in the other end," Markstrom said. "It's easy to get frustrated, but I thought we stuck to our game plan and we ground them down and we got the 1-0 win."

Demko made 31 saves in his return after missing four games in NHL COVID-19 protocol for the Canucks (19-19-6), who have lost four of five.
"They're one of the better defensive teams in the League so a lot of it was them, but I'm used to seeing our team play with a lot more energy so I have to say that some of it was on us," Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It's unfortunate, especially when you need the points. They were a beatable team tonight and we didn't take advantage of it."
Vancouver killed off Tyler Myers' match penalty for his check to the head of Trevor Lewis at 13:02 of the first period. Calgary had two shots on the power play.
"Tyler's a big guy. I thought he hit the shoulder pad first, but I'm not there in real time," Boudreau said. "I'll have to look at it a few more times on video before I really have an assessment for you."
The Canucks had a season-low one shot in the first period, coming shorthanded at 15:10 during Myers' five-minute penalty.
Vancouver's second shot came 7:04 into the second period.
"I think they were standing up pretty good in the neutral zone," Canucks forward Tyler Motte said. "When we did get pucks behind them, we weren't first to it. They clogged up quite a bit on us. When we can't get to our forecheck I think we can struggle a little bit. Having one or two shots about halfway through the game just isn't going to do it."

Demko made saves on two Lindholm one-timers in the second period to keep the game scoreless, the first off a pass from Gaudreau at 2:39 and the second off a setup in the slot by Matthew Tkachuk at 10:33.
"'Demmer' made some saves when we needed him to," Motte said. "Those are games we've got to find a way to win. We've got to find a way to get a greasy goal, especially him coming back and standing in the way he did. We've got to find a way to win that one."
Demko made an arm save on Gaudreau's penalty shot at 14:22. He also stopped Gaudreau's slap shot down the left wing at 13:19 of the third period.
"I know Thatcher very well and I scored a couple times high glove on him last year," Gaudreau said. "Had the opportunity to score a couple times on the high glove so I think he knew it was coming.
"So then on the overtime goal, I switched it up and went blocker side and found a way to beat him there."
NOTES:The Flames have nine shutouts. Their record for shutouts in a season is 10 by Miikka Kiprusoff in his Vezina Trophy-winning season in 2005-06. ... Canucks captain Bo Horvat played 20:32 in his return missing five games in COVID-19 protocol. ... Gaudreau has scored 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 12 games since Dec. 30.