Four-goal period pushes Flames past Devils

Noah Hanifin collected one goal and two assists during the Flames' four-goal second period, and Calgary beat the visiting New Jersey Devils 5-2 Thursday night. Mikael Backlund, Sean Monahan, and Johnny Gaudreau each netted one goal and one assist while goalie David Rittich made 21 saves for the Flames, who have won four of their past five games.

While the Flames found the net four times in the second period, the Devils managed just four shots on goal in that 20-minute stretch. The Devils actually opened the scoring when 2019 first overall draft pick Jack Hughes lit the lamp with 4:16 left in the opening frame. Hughes took a long pass, split the defense to create a breakaway and converted on the deke to his forehand.

Calgary's Derek Ryan tied the game at the 3:02 mark of the middle frame with a similar goal, also splitting the defenders and scoring on his forehand. Nikita Gusev gave the Devils a second lead by converting a pass from Hughes on a two-on-one rush five minutes into the middle frame, but the Flames took control of the game from that point.

Monahan again tied the game just before the midway point. While Hanifin drove deep in the offensive zone, Monahan headed to the net and then quickly one-timed the pass sent his way. Next, Backlund's power-play goal at 14:53 of the period gave the hosts their first lead of the night. Backlund's sharp-angled offering from the wing ricocheted off the stick of Devils captain Andy Greene and into the net.

Then, with 13.8 seconds left in the one-sided period, Hanifin's power-play goal made it a 4-2 game. From the point, his shot made it through the maze of skaters in front of the net and past Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. Gaudreau converted a breakaway at 10:01 of the third period to round out the scoring.

Blackwood stopped 33 shots for the Devils, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped.

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