CALGARY, Alberta — Andreas Athanasiou scored twice, and the Chicago Blackhawks stopped an eight-game slide by topping the determined Calgary Flames for a 4-3 victory on Tuesday evening.
Jujhar Khaira and Austin Wagner additionally scored for Chicago (25-46-6), which started the evening in final place within the NHL. The Blackhawks swept the three-game sequence towards the Flames.
“Obviously we know some teams are fighting for playoff spots and it’s a good way to come into a game and be a heartbreaker,” Athanasiou mentioned. “All the boys want to come out here and play hard and first and foremost try to get the win.”
Noah Hanifin had a aim and an help for Calgary (36-27-15), which had gained 4 in a row. Tyler Toffoli acquired his team-leading thirty fourth aim, and Mikael Backlund additionally scored.
With 4 video games left within the Flames’ common season, Calgary stays two factors again of Winnipeg for the second wild card within the Western Conference. The Jets, who host the Flames on Wednesday, have a sport in hand and likewise personal the tiebreaker.
“Frustrating. Turnovers cost us the hockey game, for sure,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter mentioned. “You can see the fatigue. When you don’t have great legs, you just got to keep your game really simple. Some of us didn’t manage the puck very well.”
PHOTOS: Athanasiou scores twice as Blackhawks beat Flames 4-3
Petr Mrazek made 33 stops for Chicago. He improved to 9-21-3.
Jacob Markstrom made 19 saves for Calgary. Starting for the sixteenth time within the final 17 video games, he dropped to 22-21-10.
Tied 2-2 after 40 minutes, Chicago took its third lead of the evening 1:42 into the third interval. Calgary heart Nazem Kadri had the puck stolen off his stick by Athanasiou, who raced previous him and completed a give-and-go with Lukas Reichel.
Athanasiou has 4 targets in his final three video games and 18 in his first season with the Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks then opened a 4-2 lead when a bouncing puck hopped previous Rasmus Andersson contained in the Chicago finish, leading to one other 2-on-1. This time, Wagner stored the puck himself, toe-dragging round sliding defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, and firing a shot previous Markstrom.
Backlund’s aim at 13:09 that caromed off Chicago defenseman Ian Mitchell acquired the Flames again inside one, however the Blackhawks held on.
TANEV MAKES IMPRESSION IN RETURN
Calgary welcomed veteran defenseman Chris Tanev (upper-body damage) again to its high 4 on the blue line after he missed six video games. Playing on a pairing with Hanifin, Tanev acquired a roar from the Saddledome crowd within the first interval when he threw a heavy open-ice hit on Jason Dickinson.
CHICAGO DOMINANCE
In addition to sweeping the season sequence, Chicago improved to 9-2-4 in its final 15 video games towards the Flames.
UP NEXT
Blackhawks: At Vancouver on Thursday evening.
Flames: At Winnipeg on Wednesday evening.
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