CALGARY — Nobody has scored more overtime goals than Calgary’s Sean Monahan since he entered the NHL in 2013.
Monahan’s latest came Saturday night when he scored 59 seconds into extra time to give the Flames a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, snapping a six-game winless skid.
TJ Brodie waited patiently before dropping the puck into the slot for Monahan, who made no mistake burying his team-leading 24th of the season past Jeff Glass on the blocker side.
"When you’re out there with guys like Johnny (Gaudreau) and (Brodie) and you find yourself open, you’re going to get the puck," said Monahan, whose 10 overtime goals in his four-plus seasons equals Alexander Ovechkin. "The goalie had my number all night so I was happy to put one by him."
Glass said he didn’t see it.
"I lost it through the screens. Unfortunate break or good play by their player, whatever way you want to look at it, but I just couldn’t get eyes on it," said the Chicago goaltender.
Monahan’s game-high eight shots tied his career best, but Glass had been equal to the task up until overtime, thwarting him on several dangerous chances.
It was an important victory for the Flames, who play Chicago again on Tuesday as they open a six-game road trip.
"I forgot what it felt like, especially here," quipped Flames coach Glen Gulutzan, whose club had gone 0-2-3 in its previous five on home ice. "It’s good for your mindset. That’s the biggest thing we’re going to get from this game, especially heading out onto the road. That feeling and that little bit of swagger."
Matt Stajan, Johnny Gaudreau and Michael Frolik also scored for Calgary (26-18-8) while Brodie chipped in two assists. The Flames are one point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Nick Schmaltz, Vinnie Hinostroza and Anthony Duclair scored for Chicago (24-20-8). The Blackhawks wrap up their four-game road trip with a 2-1-1 mark.
"Having the lead in the third and giving it up, we’re definitely not satisfied with getting one point," said Hinostroza. "This one’s going to be sour for a night, but we’ve got to put it behind us, and come back and give it our all."
Calgary tied it with 10 minutes left in regulation when Frolik fired a wrist shot past Glass after a pretty set-up by Mikael Backlund.
It was the first goal since Dec. 20 for the veteran Czech, who returned two games ago from a broken jaw that had sidelined him for 12 games.
"I felt we played well the past two games before this. A couple tough bounces in the Vegas game. A couple tough plays against Tampa, kind of fell apart there," said Gaudreau. "We stuck with it tonight. Big plays from a lot of guys."
Chicago broke a 2-2 tie at 14:13 of the second on Duclair’s breakaway goal after he stole the puck from Brodie at the offensive blue line.
That came after consecutive goals earlier in the period from Stajan — on a breakaway — and Gaudreau to even the score.
"We can’t be happy with the result and the way we played," said Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. "We had a good first part of the game, but then we gave up some tough possession in the middle of the ice in our zone, got them back in it."
Chicago’s first two goals were both one-timers set up by Patrick Kane, who is up to 499 career assists.
Glass had 35 stops. He falls to 3-3-3.
At the other end, Mike Smith had 25 saves to improve to 21-15-6.
Notes: Stajan has three goals in his last eight games after starting the season with just one assist in the first 34 games… Calgary rookie Mark Jankowski, pointless in his last eight games, was a healthy scratch. Inserted for him was rookie Andrew Mangiapane.
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