Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom stops the puck and looks to pass in the second period against the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena. The Flames won 6-2 on Jan. 11, 2024.Matt Kartozian/Reuters
Yegor Sharangovich scored two of his three goals in the third period and the Calgary Flames chased Arizona goalie Karel Vejmelka early in a 6-2 victory over the Coyotes on Thursday night.
Sharangovich, Mikael Backlund, Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman scored in the Flames’ four-goal first period, and Sharangovich finished his second career hat trick in the third.
“I think it’s chemistry with his two linemates now,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said about Sharangovich, who skates on a line with center Elias Lindholm and Jonathan Huberdeau.
“They are starting to make some plays together. We have talked all year about his shot release. I think he is putting himself in positions now where he is available and they are starting to find him.”
Jacob Markstrom made 33 saves to help the Flames win for the fifth time in seven games. Coleman also had two assists.
Lawson Crouse and Clayton Keller scored for the Coyotes, who trailed 4-1 after the first period. They finished 1-4 on a five-game homestand after winning six of seven.
“It worries me,” said Arizona coach Andre Tourigny, whose team was coming off an overtime, comeback victory over Boston. “You saw what we can do against Boston. You saw the energy. You saw the desperation. That was a bright spot. Today, that’s why it is disappointing, surprising.”
Sharangovich has five goals in his last two games after scoring twice in a 6-3 victory over Ottawa on Tuesday night, when Coleman also had two goals. Backlund skated in his 950th game, second in Calgary franchise history.
“Sharky (Sharangovich) was really good,” Coleman said. “That whole line was really solid. They made some big plays, some big goals. Really happy for Sharky to get that hat trick. It’s always a special feeling. The third one was really a big goal for us.”
Backlund opened the scoring 20 seconds into the game, when he skated in alone on Vejmelka after an Arizona turnover and scored on a wrist shot from the lower left circle.
Sharangovich made it 2-0 six minutes later on a short-handed goal after another turnover, taking a nifty backhand pass from Coleman to score from the right circle.
Andersson scored with 7:53 left for a three-goal lead. Nazem Kadri took a shot from the left circle that hit the back boards and ricocheted directly to Andersson, who tucked it in from the right side.
Crouse got the Coyotes’ first goal when he picked up a rebound of Nick Bjugstad’s shot and had a backhander bounce in off the Flames’ Martin Posipsil with 6:14 left in the period.
The Flames regained a three-goal lead 14 seconds later, when Coleman tipped in Chris Tanev’s shot from the right point to make it 4-1.
Connor Ingram then replaced Vejmelka, who gave up goals on three of the first four shots he faced and four of 12 overall. Ingram made 18 saves.
Keller scored from the left circle on a 3-on-2 break two minutes into the second period to close the deficit to 4-2. Sharangovich scored 58 seconds in the third period and again on a power play seven minutes into the period to make it 6-2.
The Flames scored four goals in consecutive periods over two games. They had four in the third period of the 6-3 win over Ottawa, which broke a two-game losing streak.
“We had a tough weekend,” Coleman said. “We wanted to bounce back and show we were better than that.”
Up next
Flames: At Vegas on Thursday night.
Coyotes: At Minnesota on Saturday night.