First-period goals by Martin Pospisil and Matt Coronato held up as the visiting Calgary Flames upset the red-hot Washington Capitals 3-1 on Tuesday.
Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames, who have won consecutive games and moved into the Western Conference’s second wild-card position.
Goaltender Dan Vladar held strong in a 26-save performance while his team clung to its lead to earn a victory that kicked off a six-game road trip.
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin scored his 883rd career goal, leaving him 11 behind Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.
Goalie Logan Thompson stopped 22 shots in his first regulation-time loss since Dec. 17. He had been on a 13-0-3 personal run.
The Flames stormed out of the gates and were rewarded when Pospisil opened the scoring at the 11:47 mark, awarded a goal when a rebound bounced off his shin and into the net. Despite the protests of the hosts, the officials ruled there was no distinct kicking motion.
Coronato doubled the lead five minutes later during a strong period by Calgary. Right after a save by Vladar, Kevin Bahl — who returned after missing nine games due to injury and illness — sent Coronato on a breakaway, and he snapped a glove-side shot home.
From that point, the Capitals took control. Ovechkin’s power-play goal put the Capitals on the board at 4:52 of the third period, netting his 30th of the season — a standard he has reached in 19 campaigns. With a patented rocket of a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle, he scored for the eighth time in eight games.
By netting assists, Dylan Strome and John Carlson stretched their point-scoring streaks to nine games. Strome has collected six goals and 13 points in his run, while Carlson has garnered 10 assists.
But Huberdeau provided the much-needed insurance marker with 4:28 remaining in regulation, sliding home a sharp-angled shot from in tight to finish a play set up by Nazem Kadri.
The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals went into the clash with points in eight consecutive games and were on a 14-1-6 tear that kicked off on New Year’s Eve. They also lost in regulation at home for the first time in 17 outings.
–Field Level Media
