Backlund, Mangiapane lead Flames in 3-1 win over Stars to take series lead
CALGARY — Andrew Mangiapane and Mikael Backlund led a third-period surge by the Calgary Flames in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars to take a 3-2 lead of their playoff collection.
Mangiapane and Backlund every had a purpose and an help and Trevor Lewis added an empty-net purpose for the Flames, who pushed the Stars to the brink of elimination within the best-of-seven convention quarterfinal.
Sport 6 is Saturday in Dallas.
“It feels loads higher than if we had been down, however we all know it should be a extremely exhausting recreation” Backlund stated.
“After all, we really feel assured and excited going there. It is a large recreation.”
Sport 7, if obligatory, is Sunday again in Calgary.
Calgary goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves for the win. Jason Robertson scored the lone purpose and Jake Oettinger stopped 29 pictures for Dallas.
Calgary (50-21-11) topped the Pacific Division, whereas Dallas (46-30-6) entered the post-season through the highest wild-card spot within the Western Convention.
Each groups earned splits in one another’s arenas to ship the collection to Calgary deadlocked at 2-2.
Their playoff collection reverted to low-scoring on the Saddledome, the place Calgary gained 1-0 and misplaced 2-0 to start out the collection.
Dallas gained 4-2 and misplaced 4-1 at American Airways Area.
The Stars did not enable Calgary many clear exits from their very own finish, or entries into the offensive zone, with sound positional hockey for the primary 40 minutes to guide 1-0.
However the line of Mangiapane, Backlund and Blake Coleman struck within the third for a 2-1 Flames lead.
“We knew they had been going to come back exhausting. We tried to attenuate their pace to the impartial zone and we did not and it price us,” Robertson stated.
Backlund within the impartial zone fed a backhand move to Mangiapane on the Stars’ blue line.
Mangiapane took three strides in and whipped a excessive shot over Oettinger’s glove at 13:20 to ignite the Saddledome.
“It was loud,” Mangiapane stated. “It was nice even when Backs scored. You would hear the constructing erupt. I believe the followers had been ready for a purpose. Our complete group simply fed off that vitality from the followers.”
Calgary drew even 1-1 at 6:49 of the third interval when Mangiapane collected the puck from Coleman’s drive to the web.
Mangiapane circled out from behind the goal-line and centered the puck for Backlund’s redirect by Oettinger.
“I used to be screaming my feelings, too. I do not suppose anyone heard me,” Backlund stated. “I have not scored a lot down the stretch right here. It felt actually good to place the puck within the web and such a giant purpose as properly.”
Robertson, a team-leading 41-goal man within the common season, scored his first NHL playoff purpose at 13:21 of the second interval.
Stars head coach Rick Bowness had moved the 22-year-old off the highest line alongside Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz to hitch Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.
Robertson drove in from the boards and wristed a shot that deflected off Markstrom’s glove after which off defenceman Noah Hanifin into Calgary’s web.
The Stars did not rating on three power-play possibilities and had been 2-for-20 within the collection. Calgary went 0-for-2 on Wednesday and was 2-for-19.
Flames coach Darryl Sutter deployed 11 forwards and 7 defenceman for a second straight recreation with Michael Stone remaining within the lineup for Brett Ritchie.
Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau took a deflected puck within the aspect of the pinnacle on the Stars’ blue line late within the first interval.
He went to the dressing room for therapy late within the interval, however returned within the second interval.
When a best-of-seven collection is tied 2-2, the winner of Sport 5 holds an all-time collection document of 219-58, in response to NHL statisticians.
When the house group wins Sport 5 to take a 3-2 lead, it closes out the collection 80.7 per cent of the time (138-33). When the highway group does so, it wins 76.4 per cent of the collection (81-25).
“We will have a look at some stuff from this recreation and prepare for the following recreation and it isn’t over but,” Hintz stated.
Bowness altered his Sport 5 lineup, scratching forwards Denis Gurianov and Alexander Radulov.
Jacob Peterson, 22, made his NHL playoff debut and Marian Studenic, 23, drew in for his second recreation within the collection.
Notes: With 92 profession playoff wins, Sutter is 2 again of Pat Quinn for the sixth-most amongst NHL coaches . . . Joe Pavelski’s 166th profession playoff recreation surpassed Brian Rafalski for fifth in NHL historical past amongst U.S.-born skaters.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Might 11, 2022.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
