Andersson’s OT goal gives Flames 3-2 win over Ducks

By DAN GREENSPAN
Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Rasmus Andersson scored 2:24 into overtime and the Calgary Flames beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Friday night.

Andersson beat Lukas Dostal with a wrist shot from the right circle to extend Calgary’s pointS streak to four games, with three wins in that stretch.

“Overtime is a possession game, we all know that,” Andersson said. “I think they had a couple of tired guys out there and we managed to capitalize. … Now we have a couple days off and enjoy Christmas with friends and family, then we get back to it.”

Michael Stone and Brett Ritchie also scored and Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves as the Flames wrapped up a successful four-game California trip.

Calgary has picked up 16 points so far in December, getting six wins and four overtime or shootout losses out of 13 games.

“It was a pretty greasy win, a lot like the other points and wins we got,” Ritchie said. “We could have had a two or three goal lead there, but they tied it late, and it goes to the extra frame.”

Mason McTavish and Jakob Silfverberg had power-play goals — the sixth time this season Anaheim had mutlple goals with the man advantage. Dostal made 42 saves for the Ducks, who have lost the first two games of their franchise-record 10-game homestand.

The Ducks struck on the power play 3:28 into the third to tie the game at 2. Silfverberg’s wrist shot from the left circle was helped in by a deflection off the stick of MacKenzie Weeger.

“It wasn’t pretty before that,” Silfverberg said. “We were struggling to get into the zone but we managed to catch them in a transition play.”

Ritchie put the Flames back in front 2-1 2:56 into the second period with a slick backhand from the left circle, set up by Trevor Lewis getting the puck after Ducks defenseman John Klingberg’s attempt to clear it hit the referee.

The Ducks tied at 1 on a 5-on-3 power play with 3:16 to go in the first when McTavish buried a one-timer from the right circle. It was the sixth goal and 20th point for the rookie, who has come on strong in December with nine points.

“He doesn’t come to the rink and just spend time here,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “He invests time every day in his game, and that’s the evolution.”

Despite playing the second game of a back-to-back following a 4-3 overtime loss at Los Angeles on Thursday, the Flames were the sharper team at the start and went ahead on Stone’s blistering slap shot from the left point 4:19 into the game.

“I think, 5-on-5, we controlled the game,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. “Obviously, those kids get on the power play, they’re pretty good.”

SHOCKING SECOND

Besides ending up on the wrong side of a bad bounce that set up Ritchie’s sixth goal, the Ducks had to deal with plenty of adversity of their own doing in the middle 20 minutes. Anaheim committed four penalties in the second, with Klingberg tripping Ritchie just after exiting the box for a high-sticking foul. The Ducks were also outshot 23-1.

“The parade to the penalty box, it has to stop. And, for whatever reason, it’s the second period. These second period penalties, they come in bunches, and it’s affecting the whole flow of the game,” Eakins said.

UP NEXT

Flames: Host Edmonton on Tuesday night.

Ducks: Host Vegas on Wednesday night.

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