Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and the visiting Calgary Flames took a franchise-record 62 shots on goal in a 6-0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night.
Mikael Backlund, Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm and Erik Gudbranson also scored for the Flames, whose previous franchise single-game record was 59 in a 10-8 win against the Quebec Nordiques on Feb. 23, 1991. The last time a NHL team had as many as 62 shots in a regulation game was March 12, 1989, when the Chicago Blackhawks had 62 in a 6-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom made 23 saves for his NHL-leading sixth shutout this season and the 14th of his career.
Johnny Gaudreau finished with three assists, giving him 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) during a six-game point streak. Tkachuk has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in a six-game run of his own. Calgary has won its past two games by a combined score of 13-1.
Elvis Merzlikins made 56 saves for the Blue Jackets, who have lost three straight games and are 6-15-1 in their past 22.
Backlund snapped his 18-game goal-scoring slump when he scored his fifth of the season at 4:21 of the first period. Taking advantage of a turnover at his own blue line, Backlund raced away and beat Merzlikins with a slap shot from the top of the left circle.
Mangiapane continued his road-warrior success at 15:14 of the second period by deflecting a point shot past Merzlikins for his 19th goal of the season, 18 of which have come away from home. He tied Jarome Iginla and Gary Roberts for the most road goals through the first 24 away games in a single Flames season.
Tkachuk scored his first of the game with 5.2 seconds left in the second period. Gaudreau sprung him for an odd-man rush, and he eluded a diving defender before scoring with a wrist shot to the short side.
Lindholm made it 4-0 at 30 seconds of the third period, tapping in a pass from Gaudreau for his 14th of the season. Gaudreau eluded a checking attempt by nearly every defender before he slid the pass to Lindholm. Gudbranson scored his first goal of the season and first in 61 games at 6:55 of the third when he beat Merzlikins with a point shot off a faceoff win.
Tkachuk scored his second of the game and 20th of the season 41 seconds later when he chipped home a highlight reel-worthy, backhanded, cross-ice pass from Gaudreau.
–Field Level Media
