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 On Friday night, Brodie did both as he tied a career high with three
points to lead his Calgary Flames to a 5-2 win over the Vancouver
Canucks at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
"The main thing is that we won," said Brodie, who set up three goals
to equal a feat he accomplished Nov. 2, 2014, during a 6-2 road win
for the Flames over the Montreal Canadiens. "Sometimes the puck
seems to bounce your way, sometimes it doesn't. Tonight it did."
Brodie, who has set up 11 goals in his past seven games to give him
a career high 32 assists, passed along much of the credit for his
recent success to his teammates.
"It's a team effort," Brodie said. "If guys are open, it's a lot
easier to see the plays. Tonight we were moving our feet, we were
playing smart and we were finding the pockets."
Center Mikael Backlund, right winger Michael Frolik and left winger
Joe Colborne combined for six points as each member of the line
contributed a goal and an assist.
"After a few shifts, you score and it helps the confidence,"
explained Frolik. "After we scored a couple more, it was one of
those nights. Just make sure we keep going and keep carrying this
on."
Defenseman Mark Giordano and right winger Josh Jooris also scored
for the Flames (26-28-3), who halted a three-game losing streak to
pull within one point of the Canucks (22-24-12) for fifth place in
the Pacific Division.
Making his fourth straight start, Flames goaltender Jonas Hiller had
26 saves to improve his record to 9-7-1.
Right wingers Adam Cracknell and Jake Virtanen scored for the
Canucks, who have lost four straight games, all by the same 5-2
score.
"You can't let the negativity take over," said Canucks goalie Jacob
Markstrom, who stopped 28 of 33 shots he faced. "You've got to stick
together as a team. We're in the same boat. Nobody wants to be in
this boat, but the reality is we're all in it. We've got to find a
way to get out of it. We've got to show up in practice and just work
hard. That's what it takes. Wins are not going to come easy in this
league."
Jooris scored the lone goal of the third period as he converted a
nice feed from left winger/center Lance Bouma just past the
three-minute mark. Rookie defenseman Jakub Nakladal also drew an
assist for his first NHL point.
The Flames rebounded from a lackluster finish to the first period by
scoring three times in the second to take a 4-2 lead.
"It's tough," said Virtanen of not being able to build upon a strong
first period. "We're up by one goal there and they have one goal and
tie it up and then have a little momentum going into the second
period. We can't let that happen."
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Backlund gathered a loose puck in front of the Canucks' net before
lifting a shot over Markstrom's right pad at 2:07 before Frolik's
shot from the slot deflected off defenseman Matt Bartkowski's skate
and through Markstrom's legs at 5:34.
Giordano gave the Flames a two-goal lead with 25 seconds left before
the intermission when he one-timed a pass from Brodie through
traffic past Markstrom.
The Flames carried the majority of the play in the early going and
were rewarded when Colborne took a nice drop pass from Backlund in
the slot and snapped a shot to the top corner, blocker side behind
Markstrom at 1:41 of the first period.
Although it took the Canucks until just past the six-minute mark of
the first period to register their first shot on goal, they
dominated the rest of the period and jumped out to a 2-1 lead.
Right winger Jannik Hansen set up Vancouver's first goal at 10:41 as
he fought off a check from Brodie to poke the puck past Flames right
winger David Jones into the slot for Cracknell, who one-timed a shot
past Hiller.
Virtanen scored 5:06 later when he intercepted a clearing attempt by
Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton before cutting to the slot and
wiring a shot to the top corner, glove side past Hiller.
NOTES: Calgary D Tyler Wotherspoon played his first NHL game after
being called up from the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey
League. ... The Flames placed D Ladislav Smid on injured reserve
with an upper-body injury that he sustained in the first period of
Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild at home. ... Calgary's
scratches were LW Brandon Bollig, C Markus Granlund and D Kris
Russell, the latter of whom is out with a lower-body injury. ...
Rookie C Jared McCann made his return to the Canucks' lineup after
sitting out Thursday's 5-2 loss at home to the Anaheim Ducks. ...
Vancouver scratches were RW Linden Vey, C Alex Friesen and D Yannick
Weber. ... The Canucks return home to face the Colorado Avalanche on
Sunday, the same day the Flames face off against the Ducks in
Anaheim.
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reserved.]
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