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 Just not for the other guys.
Now with his fourth team at the NHL level, Nystrom had a career-high
four goals Friday for the Nashville Predators, although the host
Flames fought back for a 5-4 shootout victory.
"To let that slide, it's really, really frustrating," Nystrom said.
"I don't care if I score nine. If they score 10, it's a loss. We had
that game in our hands."
It slipped away.
Right winger David Jones scored twice and center Mikael Backlund
also chipped in as the Flames erased a pair of two-goal deficits in
the third period. The Flames (18-27-7) also got a first-period tally
from captain Mark Giordano.
After overtime solved nothing, right winger Jiri Hudler and rookie
center Sean Monahan each scored for Calgary in a four-round shootout
and goaltender Reto Berra made an incredible save on defenseman Ryan
Ellis to end it.
The Flames are winners of back-to-back games at the Scotiabank
Saddledome after snapping a franchise-record seven-game home losing
streak.
"It's been our motto all year: 'Never give up,'" said Flames
defenseman TJ Brodie, who assisted on Jones' game-tying goal at the
13:36 mark of the third period.
"Every game, we've come out and everyone has played hard and never
given up no matter what the score is. That's what we want from
everyone and that's what every game is going to be like."
Defenseman Roman Josi had the only goal in the shootout for the
Predators (23-22-8), who have at least a point in six of their past
eight outings.
Nystrom was surprisingly left on the bench in the showdown despite
scoring four goals during the game. He now has six goals in 14
career games against Calgary, where he spent parts of four seasons
with from 2006-10.
"I had a lot of good memories in this building and it's always fun
playing against that red jersey and coming in here and seeing all
the fans," Nystrom said. "It's always nice coming back to where it
all started. Obviously, I would've liked to have the two points. We
fell a little short."
Nystrom capitalized on Nashville's first shot of the night, grabbing
a loose puck, fooling Flames netminder Karri Ramo with a head fake
and then rifling a shot into the net at the 1:51 mark of the opening
period.
With Predators center Paul Gaustad serving his punishment for
holding, Giordano knotted the score just 1:32 later, picking the top
corner from the blue line on the power play. With the goal,
Calgary's captain extended his personal point streak to a
career-high six games.
Nystrom struck early again in the second period. Josi's dump-in
caused problems for Ramo, who managed to get his blocker on the
bouncing puck but couldn't stop the Predators' left winger on the
rebound just 1:50 after the intermission.
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Nystrom completed his first career hat trick with a
deflection just over four minutes later, although Gaustad was
originally credited with Nashville's third goal of the night.
Berra relieved Ramo after Nystrom got a piece of Gaustad's shot
from an awkward angle. Jones trimmed the lead on a power play
early in the third period, scoring on a shot from the slot that
Predators goalie Devan Dubnyk probably should have stopped.
Nystrom restored the two-goal lead when he poked Matt Cullen's pass
through Berra's five-hole, but the Flames weren't going away.
Backlund deflected Kris Russell's point shot on the power play — Calgary's third of the night on the man-advantage — at 12:27 of the
third period and Jones got a piece of Brodie's blast just 69 seconds
later to tie it up.
"We know we're dealing with lots of young players and there's not a
better way to show character than what we did tonight," said Flames
coach Bob Hartley. "Three goals on the power play. We never quit in
the third period. We had good legs. Our forechecking game was great.
Our tracking back was very good. Reto came in and shut the door,
made some pretty good saves. We got the game in a shootout and Jiri
and Mony gave us some big goals.
"Our guys deserve lots of credit," he added. "I'm really proud of
our guys."
Dubnyk finished with 27 saves for the Predators. After Ramo
surrendered three goals on 12 shots, Berra was beaten just once on
13 attempts.
The 26-year-old from Switzerland is now 4-0 in shootouts in his
first NHL campaign.
"We had nothing to lose. That was my mindset when I went in there,
just play the puck and try to do your best," Berra said. "It was an
awesome game for everybody, especially for me because my family was
here for the first time. Great comeback and to win in a shootout
again, it's really good."
NOTES: The Flames continue their five-game homestand with Tuesday's
meeting with the Chicago Blackhawks at the Scotiabank Saddledome,
while Edmonton is the next stop on the Predators' four-game journey.
They'll face off Sunday against the Oilers. ... Flames LW Paul Byron
returned to the lineup after missing one game with a sore foot,
while RW Brian McGrattan and D Ladislav Smid were both spectators
due to undisclosed injuries. ... Flames LW Michael Cammalleri, who
has been out for seven games due to a concussion, participated in
Friday's morning skate but has not been cleared for contact. ... The
Predators recalled LW Taylor Beck from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals
for their road trip, but he has yet to play. ... Predators assistant
coach Lane Lambert stayed home to be with his wife, who is
undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Scott Nichol, a longtime NHLer
and now director of player development for the Predators, is helping
out behind the bench.
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