MacKenzie Weegar scored with 4.8 seconds remaining in overtime to give host Calgary a comeback 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday as the Flames opened a six-game homestand on a positive note.
A.J. Greer also scored for the Flames, who received a scintillating 27-save performance from goaltender Dan Vladar.
William Karlsson tallied for the Golden Knights, the defending Stanley Cup champions who are sputtering on a 3-5-2 run and have scored only three goals in their past four games. Goalie Adin Hill stopped 32 shots.
Late in the extra session, Weegar grabbed the puck deep in his zone, weaved through the Golden Knights and ripped a shot from the right faceoff dot for his fifth goal of the season and the first overtime winner of his career.
It was the fourth time this season the Flames have won when trailing after two periods. Calgary won only two games last season when down after 40 minutes.
Vegas fell to 9-1-2 when scoring first.
Karlsson’s power-play goal opened the scoring at 13:53 of the first period. Karlsson was at the doorstep when a point shot was stopped, and he buried the rebound for his 10th marker of the season.
Greer pulled the Flames even 2:31 into the third period with his fourth goal of the campaign. Nazem Kadri’s shot was blocked, but Greer followed up and converted from the slot.
Despite the low score, the night truly was a goaltending exhibition at both ends. Vladar came up with a couple of dandy saves on Nicolas Roy, including a one-timer on a two-on-one when it was a 1-0 game, and denied Ivan Barbashev’s third-period breakaway chance when it was a 1-1 game.
Hill’s biggest stops came against Elias Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane during a flurry late in the second period.
Vladar was pressed into service because Flames No. 1 goaltender Jacob Markstrom missed the game due to illness. Because he was confirmed to be too sick to play after the 5 p.m. local deadline, the Flames signed emergency backup goaltender Dustin Nickel to an amateur tryout agreement to serve as a sub instead of being able to summon Dustin Wolf from the AHL Calgary Wranglers.
Flames defenseman Chris Tanev left the game midway through the third period after being hit in the face while trying to block a Karlsson shot.
–Field Level Media
