NEW YORK (AP) – Matthew Tkachuk scored twice in the third period, getting the tiebreaking goal with 1:05 left, to rally the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday night.
Mark Jankowski also scored for the Flames, who pulled into a tie with Minnesota for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Mike Smith made 23 saves before leaving due to an injury with 2 seconds remaining, and David Rittich came on to close the game.
Travis Hamonic had an assist on Tkachuk’s late goal in his first game back in Brooklyn since the Islanders dealt him to Calgary in the offseason. The defenseman, who had 26 goals and 120 assists in 444 games over seven seasons in New York, received a standing ovation from the crowd during a video tribute in the first period and was visibly emotional when discussing his time with the Islanders after Calgary’s morning skate.
New York Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak (41) of Slovakia, and teammates Islanders defensemen Nick Leddy (2) and Johnny Boychuk (55) watch as Matthew Tkachuk’s game-winning goal sails in for a score during the third period of an NHL hockey game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. The Flames defeated the Islanders on Tkachuk’s goal. Tkachuck (19) is between the Islanders trio. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Casey Cizikas and Anthony Beauvillier scored for the Islanders, while Jaroslav Halak finished with 39 saves. It was the 17th time in the Islanders’ last 23 games that they have surrendered 37 or more shots on goal.
Trailing 2-0, the Flames cut the deficit in half on Jankowski’s power-play goal with 9 1/2 minutes left in the middle period. Tkachuk the tied it at 9:38 of the third.
Cizikas put the Islanders on the board early in the first period thanks to an extraordinary individual effort. The forward picked off the puck along the sideboards and then scored through Smiths legs while falling forward.
Beauvillier put New York up by two at 2:59 of the second period when a seemingly harmless shot from the high slot sneaked by Smith.
NOTES: Flames F Troy Brouwer missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. … F Marek Hrivik and D Matt Bartkowski were scratched by Calgary. … The Flames improved their road record 16-6-5 this season and are now 11-8-3 against Eastern Conference opponents. Calgary has won three of four on a six-game road trip, with stops in Boston and Nashville still to come. … The Islanders scratched F Alan Quine, F Tanner Fritz and D Dennis Seidenberg. … The Flames acquired Hamonic on the second day of the NHL draft in a trade that sent Calgary’s first and second round picks in 2018 to the Islanders along with a second round pick in 2019 or 2020. … Sunday marked the seventh anniversary of the Islanders’ brawl against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which saw 65 penalties assessed for a total of 346 penalty minutes. … The Islanders fell to 28-5-7 against Western Conference opponents in three seasons at Barclays Center. … New York also dropped to 17-4-1 when scoring first this season, and 18-1-1 when leading after two periods.
UP NEXT
Flames: At Boston on Tuesday night.
Islanders: Host Columbus on Tuesday night.
Calgary Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic (24) celebrates with Calgary Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) after Tkachuk scored the game-winning goal against New York Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak during the third period of an NHL hockey game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. Hamonic was a long-time Islanders player before joining the Flames during the off-season. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Calgary Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) reacts toward Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (11) of Sweden as he celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. The Flames defeated the Islanders 3-2 in regulation. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Calgary Flames center Sam Bennett, right, celebrates with center Mark Jankowski (77), who scored a goal on New York Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak during the second period of an NHL hockey game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Calgary Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton (27) defends New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) in front of the Flames goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Calgary Flames goaltender Mike Smith (41) deflects the puck to make a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
New York Islanders’ Anthony Beauvillier (72) celebrates with Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
New York Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak (41), of Slovakia, makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) keeps Calgary Flames center Curtis Lazar (20) from the puck behind the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
New York Islanders left wing Ross Johnston (52) and Calgary Flames left wing Ryan Lomberg (56) engage in a fight on the ice during the first period of an NHL hockey game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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