Andrei Kuzmenko scored the game-winning goal in a shootout to give the host Calgary Flames a 2-1 comeback victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Rasmus Andersson also scored for the Flames, who have won two straight games and three of their past four outings. Goaltender Dustin Wolf made 28 saves between regulation and overtime before turning back both Islanders he faced in the shootout. Wolf has posted a 4-0-1 record in his past five starts.
Pierre Engvall had the lone goal for the Islanders, who have one win, one loss and three extra-time defeats in their past five outings. Goalie Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots prior to the shootout in an outstanding goaltending battle.
Kuzmenko, the second shooter for the Flames, notched the difference-maker by completing a backhand deke. Justin Kirkland scored in the third round of the shootout, sealing the Calgary win.
Engvall ran his goal-scoring streak to three games when he opened the scoring just 92 seconds into the second period. He worked toward the slot from the left circle, using a nifty toe-drag to create a better angle while using a defender as a partial screen, and ripped a high shot for his third marker of the season.
Andersson’s power-play goal at 8:17 of the third period tied the clash. Andersson set up in the high slot and unloaded a one-timer that found the mark for his fifth goal of the campaign and Calgary’s first man-advantage marker in five games.
From the drop of the puck, both netminders were on top of their game. Wolf stoned Bo Horvat on a first-period breakaway and, later in the frame, got a toe on Anders Lee’s chance from the slot. Early in the third period, while his team was hoping to mount a comeback, he denied Horvat again on a golden chance before holding strong against Maxim Tsyplakov. Wolf also stopped a Kyle Palmieri one-timer late in regulation.
For his part, Varlamov stood tall with a first-period stop on Connor Zary, denied Mikael Backlund in the first minute of the second period and also won a one-on-one with MacKenzie Weegar late in the second. Varlamov ensured overtime with a clutch stop on Backlund late in regulation.
