Weegar scores with 5 seconds left in OT, Flames rally past Golden Knights

CALGARY -- MacKenzie Weegar scored with five seconds remaining in overtime to give the Calgary Flames a 2-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights at Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday.

Weegar led a solo rush up the ice that started behind his own blue line before gaining the offensive zone and shooting blocker side on Adin Hill. The goal came with the teams skating 4-on-4 following an unsuccessful Calgary power play to begin overtime.

Weegar has five goals in 22 games this season. He had four in 81 games in 2022-23.

"That was all I had left," Weegar said. "There was probably no backcheck there. I left it all out there, saw an opening, got up the ice as fast as I could, and that's sort of how it's been going for me this year."

A.J. Greer also scored for the Flames (9-10-3), who have won two of three.

"I thought it was more about us tonight," Weegar said. "It's been more that way for us this year. Obviously, you want to play your best every given night. There's a lot of stuff about this team being the reigning champs, but I thought [Dan Vladar] stepped up big and really bailed us out a few times there."

Vladar made 25 saves after Jacob Markstrom was ruled out late because of the flu. Calgary signed goalie Dustin Nickel to an amateur tryout agreement to backup Vladar prior to the game.

"As soon as I got in, I thought it was a joke, until the national anthems," Vladar said. "Then I was just trying to give our team a chance to win like I'm trying to do every single game. Obviously, it turned out to probably be my best game of the season."

William Karlsson scored, and Hill made 32 saves for the Golden Knights (14-5-3), who have lost four of five (1-2-2) and have scored two or fewer goals in four straight.

"Not our best, not our worst, either," Vegas forward Nicolas Roy said. "It just feels right now that we don't find ways to win. Obviously, every team in this league is going to have bad stretches. We're in one right now. We're such a good team. We found ways to win last year. We've just got to bury one when we have the chance and get those wins, for sure."

Karlsson put Vegas ahead 1-0 at 13:53 of the first period with a power-play goal, scoring into an open net on a rebound in the left circle.

Vladar kept it a one-goal game at 4:36 of the second period when he fully extended his left pad to make a toe save on Roy during a 2-on-1.

"You just keep coming," Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb said. "Stay positive. Chances are coming. Just bearing down. They'll go in. We know how it works. We just have to keep grinding away."

Greer tied it 1-1 at 2:31 of the third period. Nazem Kardi's shot deflected off two Vegas defenders and drop into the slot for Greer, who shot over Hill's glove.

Vladar then kept it a tie game by making a save with his right arm on Ivan Barbashev's breakaway attempt at 11:37, and a glove save on William Carrier's shot from the slot at 13:55.

"Not an easy thing," Flames coach Ryan Huska said. "He found out just before my meeting at 5:30. He got his extra work this morning, which isn't easy for goaltenders, and to find out late, he doesn't really have a chance to prepare. He did an amazing job. By far his best game of the year for us, and there were some key moments in the game where it could've went the other direction off of some turnovers and he made some big saves for us. He was most definitely first star in my books tonight."

NOTES: Flames defenseman Chris Tanev left the game at 12:00 of the third period after taking a shot from Karlsson to the face. There was no update postgame. … Calgary forward Connor Zary had the secondary assist on Greer's goal, his 10th point (three goals, seven assists) in 12 games this season. Only one Flames player has recorded his first 10 NHL points in fewer games in the past 30 years: Sean Monahan (11 games in 2013-14).